


Picking up the pieces (of my heart)

by James12



Category: The Dragon Prince (Cartoon)
Genre: Angst, Arranged Marriage, Blood and Gore, Broken Heart, Eventual Smut, F/M, Fluff, Humour, Lovers to Friends to Lovers, Maybe he can, Trying to get over her, Unconditional Love, eventual forgiveness, physical and mental pain
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-10-10
Updated: 2021-01-20
Packaged: 2021-03-08 02:15:09
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death
Chapters: 6
Words: 29,915
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26937997
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/James12/pseuds/James12
Summary: [TTM SPOILERS]Life goes on for Callum after that fateful night at the Moon Nexus all those years ago, he dives straight into the deep end with magic to take his mind off that night. After several changes in his life, Callum gets an offer that goes against every bone in his body. So why does he accept?Rayla deals with the fallout of her decisions and continues to track her target. When she finds and believes she has sorted the problem, can she finally go home, will she forever be cursed by her decision?===TTM Fic that I've been dying to do.
Relationships: Callum/OC, Callum/Rayla (The Dragon Prince)
Comments: 96
Kudos: 103





	1. Reminiscing

The scent and trail had finally picked up again after months of dead ends and rumours made by people that had nothing better to do with their lives. Viren was close and she knew it, maybe her mission would finally be over, and she could… no.

She couldn’t go back, how could she? Three years and she hadn’t sent word or so much as a message to him, yet she thought she could waltz back into his life just because she finished her mission. It wasn’t right and Rayla knew as much.

She knew that she lied straight to his face, something that she hadn’t ever thought she’d want to do, she hated people that lie.

‘Guess I hate myself then,’ She thought to herself grimly.

The past three years she’s been roughing it to a major level, sleeping around three to four hours a day only to scour the land listening to every small tale and rumour of the human in Xadian lands. Unfortunately, they either turned out to be a bust or they were talking about the only human in the world that she couldn’t bring herself to see.

He’d been there, in the Xadian lands, looking for her and training to become stronger. Oh, how she longed to be held in his arms and be told that everything was going to be alright for them and that he’d forgiven her. She wasn’t naïve to think he’d take her back after she’d damaged him so much, but gods how she wanted him to.

She’d been reminiscing on her times with Callum and how such a short time with the right person had such a long-term effect on her life and what she wanted to do with it. Whatever it was, she wanted him.

Every single day of her life she had the same argument in her head; was she right? Did she really believe that she was in the right? She knew she shouldn’t have lied to Callum, but he would have never in a million years allowed her to go by herself. Above all, she’d have never forgiven herself if he got hurt on her account, He’d thrown himself off the top of the Storm Spire for crying out loud.

Consequences would be dealt with later, now, she’d deal with Viren and stop the worry and ache she felt in the pit of her stomach once and for all. She’d killed him once, yet he was alive for a reason that was beyond her comprehension. Now, she would make sure to put him six feet under, for her family, for Callum and for Xadia.

She’d been tailing the rather sloppy trail that was left by some obvious dark magic-user or users, dead corpses and husks being left along the trail in Earthblood territory, far out from any military outposts. Maybe Viren had gotten sloppy? Unlikely, as much as that ass boiled her britches, Viren was a meticulous planner and every step of the way for him was like he could see into the future.

She’d now found him, and he wasn’t cheating death this time.

She moved into a secluded clearing in which trees surrounded everywhere where one lone figure stood facing away from her, staring into the distance without a care in the world. His height was that of Viren’s but his build seemed a lot thinner.

“So, this is who’s been tracking me down,” He began with a condescending smirk in his tone, vanishing as quickly as it came. “You,”

“Who me?” Rayla quipped back, fingers already itching for her butterfly blades.

“I see you’ve come for seconds. I can’t say I’m thrilled to see you, but the offer still stands for my, shall we say, ‘Moondshow Hostel,” Viren laughed a cackling laugh.

“You bastard! Give them to me,” Rayla’s blood was boiling and she was one small jibe from lashing out at the man that had taken so much from anyone.

“Come and get them,” Viren snarled, eyes narrowing.

Rayla wasted no time running forward, every intent on finishing what she’d started. The lack of trees anywhere really close gave the magic-user the obvious advantage and allowed him to dictate the pace. She’d have to get up close and this was definitely personal.

She zig-zagged towards Viren flipping her butterfly blades in her hands, a nice distraction tactic with the sun glinting off of them. She was fast, faster now than she’d ever been before and it showed. She closed the twenty-metre distance between them in a matter of seconds, but why hadn’t he cats yet.

As she drove her blades deep into his gut, she twisted them, opting to drive the most amount of pain possible to the man who tormented most of her waking moments as well as her nightmares. ‘Life is precious. Life is valuable. We take it, but we do not take it lightly’. She’d had that drilled into her.  
But this man had caused her so much pain and grief, so many sleepless nights and, gods be damned, she was going to make him suffer the same way he’d made her. Worse even. She twisted even further willing that he’d hold on for life for a little longer so she could get some answers on what he meant.

Suddenly the groans turned into laughter, but not from the body in front of her. The cackling was Viren’s no doubt, but it was behind her, her gaze falling the body in front of her as it turned into moon-moths.

“You really thought you’d had me, didn’t you?” He laughed at her wildly, jibing at her as she growled, “But now, my little moon-shine, you’re going to feel true pain,”

“Shove it where the sun doesn’t shine,” Rayla snapped and again lurched forward.

“Meht yortsed yam I os sehsa rieht em gnirb,” Rayla was launched forward towards Viren’s outstretched arm where he’d been concealing the dead caterpillar.

She grabbed his outstretched arm that was at her throat, with the strength that he shouldn’t have been able to conjure. She clawed at his hands as she felt the air being prevented from entering her respiratory system, how could she have been so weak? How had he become so strong?

Rayla twisted and swung her legs round with unparalleled athleticism and core strength to reach over and strike Viren’s face with her foot, connecting with his jaw and sending him flying across the open space, face-first into the ground.

She didn’t let up as she grabbed her blades from where they were discarded and switched them into their hook-form and aiming for his legs to get him on the floor.

Viren wasn’t down for more than half a second before he kickflipped onto his feet and parried each and every one of her strikes without the grace of a trained warrior but still held his own. This man was just meant to be a mage, how was he keeping up with a trained Moonshadow assassin?

“So feisty, just like that other Moonshadow,” Viren chuckled, Rayla wouldn’t allow him to talk about her kind like that.

“Shut up!” She shouted.

Her onslaught grew faster and faster as she began to break down Viren’s defences as he was unable to use magic. She twisted through the air whilst simultaneously switching her blades into their hook forms and swiping his legs out from him.

Quick as a flash, whilst Viren was tumbling backwards and unable to defend himself, Rayla drove her blades deep into the body once more. The sound it made, made her sick as it squelched and had the unfortunate effect of catching an artery, causing blood to spray all over her.

Viren gasped choked-up blood as his groans turned into laboured breathing. His eyes, whilst they were open, weren’t registering anything around him. She removed her blades quickly as the blood spilt and Viren lurched forward clasping onto Rayla who just shrugged him off with disgust.

She stared at his lifeless body in disbelief, just waiting for another chuckle or cackle or something for him to have cheated death once more… but he just lay there, a bloody and lifeless corpse and Rayla just felt empty.

She turned and left the clearing with a sudden epiphany; she’d been chasing Viren for so long with no other goal in mind and now, she was just at a loss as to what she should do now. She couldn’t go back to Katolis, she just couldn’t. There was just a queasy feeling in her stomach.

Rayla ran to a bush and heaved heavily into it, completely dishevelled by the sight she had just seen and been the cause of. The lifeless body, the blood that coated her blades and her body were too much for someone that had never taken a life before.

Rayla sat there outside of the clearing, wondering what Callum would think if he could see her now. If he would even want to see her after all these years, all the years where she’d hurt him. In all honesty, he was the only place he’d be willing to call home.

Claudia and Aaravos watched from the distance, conniving about their plans to bring the continent to its knees.

===

To say Callum changed over the last three years would have been like saying banthers shit in the woods. He was now 5’11” and looked every bit the part of a regal prince that he hated with all of his heart.  
Now adorning the sky-wing clothing to better the still uneasy relations between the Pentarchy and Xadia. A better description would be between Xadia, Duren and Katolis and the other three human nations who were still unhappy with what happened at the battle of the Storm Spire, blaming Katolis for roping them into the war and the elves for allegedly killing their monarchs.

The clothes were to show the faith that Katolis had in Xadia and, admittedly, they were insanely comfortable with a jutting neckpiece and a long skirt. Underneath his outerwear, he has baggy pants accompanied by metal boots. It was the things that Ibis had given Callum when he’d gained the rank of mastering the sky arcanum in the only month after… she’d left.

He’d only needed something to take his mind off of her, the one he’d put all his trust in and asked for nothing in return, bar absolute honesty. Hadn’t she grown tired of lying to him? She’d already lied to him about the death of his stepfather, simply allowing him to hold onto hope that wasn’t there to hold onto.

Then she’d given her word that they’d find Viren together and she didn’t even have the decency to tell it to his face, granted he’d have insisted on coming if she did. But was he not worth more than a fucking letter? Surely their relationship had been through so much that he’d deserved more than one measly piece of paper from his sketchbook.

The piece of paper may have been small, but it was more than enough to break his heart into small pieces and scatter them across the Xadian continent. He’d sent shadow hawks and crows, yet they never came back answered, and he knew she had the means to send it back.

So, instead, he’d dived into his magic studies headfirst and didn’t look back, needing the distraction above all else. It led to his adventures into Xadia to study all of the arcana. He was yet to connect to them all but was currently connected to four arcana.

All of them in incredibly stupid and brash decisions that usually led to him being engulfed into a world of pain that usually left him with scars to commemorate each occasion as well as a hefty earful from Ezran each time.

He’d mastered each spell from Earth, Sky, Ocean and… Moon. Moon was the one that had hurt the most despite not suffering anything physically from the exchange. But mentally? Mentally he’d never felt so much pain than when Lujanne had put him through the tests.

She’d created the illusions of Rayla coming home that tore Callum a fresh slice of pain that he was sure he’d left behind him after a year. She was so real, and she came home to him and apologised…only to leave again and again and again until he didn’t have tears to shed. It was only then that he understood it all, the moon arcanum and what he’d really been trying to understand. Rayla had fed him a white lie, or an illusion of words.

Most people believe that reality is the truth and appearances are deceiving, in reality, the Moon arcanum leads to the understanding that one can only know the appearance itself. And Callum found it out and connected to the Moon arcanum and saw past the reality of Rayla being there and focused on the appearance. It was then he could see past the illusions and connected to the primal source.

He’d have to thank Rayla for that, although she didn’t mean to do it. He wasted no time in casting ‘Historia Viventum’ at the Moon Nexus to see where Rayla went. He followed that trail like a fucking lost puppy for six months, fighting bandits and anyone who really got in his way, looking for any and all rumours of a Moonshadow elf in the human kingdoms.

That changed when assassins from other Human Kingdoms attempted an assassination attempt on Katolis, gravely injuring Ezran in the process. Callum didn’t forgive himself and returned at once to Katolis to apologise profusely and ask for forgiveness.

Ezran, being the kind and understanding person he’d always been, readily accepted his apology and sympathised with how he felt and why he did it. Eventually, Callum was named as Katolis High mage and personal defender of Katolis.

People were sceptical about what someone as wimpy and uncoordinated as ‘Step-Prince Callum’ would be able to do against threats. They were quickly silenced.

One night when assassins from Del Bar had infiltrated the castle security and tried to assassinate Ezran, Callum incapacitated the whole group of seven dubbed the most dangerous assassins in the Pentarchy. His show of magical ability as well as the scars and tattoos adorning the body from the years of battling on the roads.

Callum had only just grown in height, he’d also bulked up considerably, possibly owning the most toned set of abs in the whole of the Pentarchy. His magic training had left him with some sizeable assets to his body as well as his mind. Though he was still skinny, he was full of pure muscle now.

One day, Callum battled again with the constant onslaught of assassins and uprisings that thought Ezran was both to blame for the war and unfit to the role as king due to being so young. Unfortunately, the mass of assassins and the lack of many soldiers, due to Ezran giving significant leave so they could spend the holidays with their families, meant Ezran had a knife to his throat. Callum lost himself in rage as he killed every single assassin in the castle.

Since that day, Callum had killed again but only when there was no other option to save his friends. He and Soren had become closer than ever in recent times after both having been abandoned by important people in their lives. Needless to say, assassins were wearier to try to attack the castle.

Callum had again left the castle to connect to other arcana, each more dangerous and taxing than the one before. After mastering each one, he’d gotten tattoos for the spells in which they were necessary for, even going as far to get sky-wing facial markings for being a master as well as being granted a mage-staff that he had enchanted by every arcanum he mastered. The weird looks he received were never anything more as soon as Callum had set his image as one to be feared.

These days, Callum found himself training his magic more and always learning, especially trying to understand the Star Arcanum. There had yet to be any other human to connect to any primal source. It didn’t stop Callum from teaching Xadian culture as well as true history to people, educating that, the stories so many people were taught, were just that.

Every time he educated on any culture, he’d been accepted into to learn, he thought about what Rayla would think of him, about if she’d help if she were here. Such a big ‘if’ wasn’t it? He wasn’t sure if he’d ever find it in himself to stop loving her, but you don’t leave someone you love. Too many times he’d been standing on a ledge, looking out onto the distance wondering and tearing himself apart about her whereabouts and what may have happened.

She wasn’t dead, he knew as much by going into the Moon Nexus every few months and checking. It always ended up with him crying and asking what he did so wrong that she couldn’t trust him. Why he deserved that. Why she did it, even after knowing all she did about him. He didn’t hate Rayla, not really, he just felt… nothing really. No amount of drinking or the strange herb from Evenere could make him forget her, but he really couldn’t, nor could he find it in himself to love her again after three years. He was just at a loss.

“High-Mage Callum, are you listening?” Opeli asked, flabbergasted.

“Apologies High Cleric, my head was in the clouds. Please continue,” He smiled half-heartedly, something he knew she’d pick up on later.

“Must you ignore all of the details here?” Councilman Kareen was particularly snide this morning and had a big hatred for elves, calling Callum’s markings ‘an abomination.’

“I’m rather preoccupied with my studies of the Star arcanum, I was just reflecting,” Callum returned, calmly.

“So Xadian aspects are more important than that of your own people?” Came another voice.

“Ah, councilwoman Nina there you are,” Callum said with a tired tone in his voice, “Lest you forget, we are currently at peace, meaning that Xadian ‘aspects’ are equally important to the future of Katolis then whatever bigoted bollocks you were spouting,” It was now a common occurrence for the oxymoronic eclectic mix of Callum’s posh and carefully worded sentences with his crass words.

Callum watched out of the corner of his eyes as Ezran steeled his facial features to not laugh, Corvus next to him doing the exact same thing while Soren just laughed out loud, earning him a death stare from Opeli.

“Now, let’s settle down,” Opeli stated, and everyone knew from experience that it would be better to feed a banther from your hand than to go against her word.

“Thank you Opeli, now please, why was this meeting called?” Ezran had returned to his regal pose as he asked his question.

At just fourteen years old, Ezran was easily 5’8” and taller than Callum was at that age and was looking every bit the part of the king that he seemed destined to be. His dreads were down to his ears with the Twin Tower crown topping his head. He wore a red coat with golden embroidery and black trousers as well as black boots.

He was kind, gentle and loving to his family, and this was replicated in how he dealt with his people. He openly asked people to call him Ezran but that was usually ignored as people just wanted to be polite. He cared for his people dearly and was putting in back-breaking work to keep the wobbly peace between Xadia and the Pentarchy as well as becoming a personal friend of Queen Zubeia’s and had many late night ‘calls’ with Zym.

“The riots in Evenere have grown stronger and there really is only one option,” She said with almost a pleading look on her face.

“I have said it before and I’ll say it again, I am not forcing my brother to marry someone that’s not of his own volition,” Ezran voice left no room for argument.

“Sire, please, this is the only way to bridge the shaky peace we have. Queen Fareeda’s daughter, Princess Elizabeth is Callum’s age and they are keen to make peace. In return for the Prince aiding them, he will have her hand in marriage, I hear she is quite the beauty,” Kareen tried.

“Absolutely not, am I speaking elven? I said no-”

“I’ll do it,” Callum was never so sure about something. Rayla wasn’t coming back and he needed to help his nation.

“Callum,” Ezran and Soren began.

“My liege, Rayla is not coming back and, though I may have feelings for her, I need to do my bit to help keep this tentative peace that we find ourselves alive.” Ezran knew what he was saying, he wants to forget her.

Ezran wasn’t sure if he’d ever forgiven Rayla for turning Callum into the person he is now, riddled with trust issues. He’d become fiercely protective of Ezran and his closet personal advisor. Him, Corvus and Soren would often sit in his sitting room and talk about everything and nothing.

“If you need more time to think about it,” Ezran was desperately trying to give Callum a way to get out.

“Enough, Ezran, I need to move on. I accept to have Princess Elizabeth’s hand in marriage and look forward to meeting her soon,” As usual Callum didn’t wait for a response before leaving the throne room, Ezran and Soren’s eyes followed him, sadness for how broken his heart really was.


	2. Let me let her go

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Sometimes, you need to move on.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Callum has several conversations about his decision while Claudia worries about her father's frailty.

“Callum! Callum! Dude, wait up,” Soren called out after he clambered after the high mage.

“What do you want Soren?” Callum sighed heavily, done with the day and wanting nothing more than to retire to his chambers and, no doubt, spend the rest of his waking moments drawing Rayla or trying to find a way to take her off his mind.

“Banther-fucking-shit are you over Rayla, why are you agreeing to do this?” Soren was genuinely worried about his close friend.

He hadn’t been acting the same since Rayla left and, while it filled the void of both of their broken hearts, Soren couldn’t help but be insignificant when compared to the hole left by Rayla that night. Soren wanted nothing more than to get Callum to his old self again, but he wasn’t sure if that was even for the best.

Callum had become a stronger and more fierce defender of the ones he loved, all thanks to Rayla. He was now a force to be reckoned with, if Soren was honest, he could be scary and several assassins could attest to that fact. He was regal and a firm believer in breaking rules and obnoxious traditions, so Soren couldn’t wrap his head around why Callum would want this arranged marriage.

“Of course, I’m not fucking over her, I don’t think I’ll ever be over her. But what else do you suggest I do, man? Sit here with my dick between my legs, pining over the girl of my dreams who FUCKING LEFT ME!” Callum retorted back, causing Soren to wince.

The subject was always touchy, but Soren was one of the few people that Callum could genuinely tell what he was feeling, and it was something that Soren cherished after also being abandoned by Claudia, her choosing their sadistic father over peace.

Soren continued quietly, putting his hand on Callum’s shoulder, something that Callum let three people do while sober, Soren, Ezran and his Aunt Amaya. He needed to get through to his friend and knew how.

“I know how you feel, bud, always have and I’ll always be here for you. As long as you’re happy I’ll back you the whole way,” Soren smiled and pulled Callum into a hug that was quickly replicated.

“I’m not sure what true happiness is anymore, but I’ll be damned before I don’t try to find it again. Who knows, maybe this girl will be exactly what I need and, at the very least, I’m doing my solemn step-princely, high-magely duty,” Callum laughed, and Soren joined in.

“Well, if you’re getting married, then tonight is a night of celebration. Town breweries?” Soren waggled his eyebrows while Callum let out a laugh for the first time in a long time.

“Town breweries,” Callum affirmed.

Two hours later and so many ales that he forgot what day it was, Soren finally realised why he was there and figured out why he was standing atop a table.

“Ladies and degenerates,” Soren started, eliciting laughs from the commoners, “Today we are here to c-celebrate the engagement of Katolis’ very own mage-prince, Callum,”

Callum found himself laughing along with the townspeople he was sat with and raising the mead he was drinking, getting celebratory slaps and claps on the back, something he was too drunk to care too much about. Chants of speech broke out amongst the dwellers and Soren helped Callum up onto the table he was on.

“I know it’s been a tough few years, no one really knows what this peace means with Xadia. But, because of the people, because of you, we may be able to make it work. Now, I have the fortunate position I am in, because of the love you show my brother and me. So, I will keep the peace by getting married,” Callum stated warmly

“Bet it helps that she’s an Evenerian beauty,” someone called out in the crowd, drawing out hearty laughter and cheers.

Callum laughed alongside them before continuing, “I know, I know, tough life,” His voice dripped with sarcasm making more of the townspeople laugh.

“The truth is, life is tough for you all, tougher than it’ll ever be for me. But I envy your camaraderie and the tight-knit community you live in. And for that, drinks are on me tonight, tab me, Elaine.” Callum wasn’t sure if he had ever heard such an uproar of approval.

Over the past three years, Callum and Soren had been coming to the local bars and taverns of Katolis, without guards and not in any regal attire. At first, it was to assess the people’s feelings on the peace treaty with Xadia but, eventually, Callum and Soren proved themselves to be down-to-earth people that could handle themselves in a drink off.

Truly, Callum felt more at home and comfortable at the taverns with the townspeople than he ever had been in council, even going as far one day to tell Councilman Kareen to shove his opinions on the ‘lesser’ townsfolk up his ass, deeming that the same amount of shit comes out his mouth.

Callum and Soren were even on a first-name basis with over half the people they meet at each tavern they attend, attempting to get to know as many people in as many taverns or pubs as possible. This also had the added benefit of making Ezran’s image in the eye of the public even better than it had come to be.

Eventually, Callum and Soren stumbled home laughing drunkenly the whole way, saying sappy things about how they were one another’s best friends. They did some giggling as Callum gave them illusions of two women with gratifying curves, making the guards that they met choke and peruse lame attempts at trying to get them to go to their bedrooms, before returning to their normal forms and watching how everyone began sputtering, cursing and blushing, causing even more laughter.

Callum eventually stumbled through the door loudly, knocking over several bits of ornaments that he would repair with Earth magic when he remembered. A candle flickered in the corner, and a shadowy figure sat in the armchair, though Callum wasn’t in touch with his thoughts, he knew exactly who it was, Ezran

Shit.

“Lemme sober, b’fore you lecture me,” Callum slurred a moved towards his bathroom.

He exited a second later with a small amount of water in his tankard and moved to sit down on the edge of his bed, facing away from Ezran. He drunkenly drew an ocean rune symbol, one that he had drawn many a time after a night such as this.

“sobrius sursum,” He said with a slur, only just managing to make the spell take effect and course through his body, cleansing his mind of all the mead he’d drank tonight.

“Are you shitting me, Cal?” Ezran questioned rhetorically “Going out and getting drunk whilst you attempted to convince me that you were over Rayla! This is clearly not over Rayla.” He stated, exasperated.

“Who are you, Opeli? Who gives a flying fuck what I do in my free time?” Callum deflected in his sarcastic tone that had come to be like a second skin to the mage.

“I care, you ass! And I know you’re deflecting.” Ezran said, not willing to listen to his brother’s weak answers.

Callum sighed, thinking about when his brother had become so wise in such a short amount of time, smiling ruefully at the image of Opeli smacking her head against the table after Ezran had called an entire day of meetings off because Barius had made moon berry jelly tarts.

His smile fell when he thought about moon berries. Christ was he so weak that he couldn’t even think about a type of fruit without thinking about her? But, alas, this was why Ezran was here; because Callum had said that he was ready to move on, and maybe he was, but, evidently, Ezran had believed that he wasn’t. This was going to be a fun conversation.

“Of course, I’m deflecting, this is a useless conversation and one that you, much less I, really want to have. Also, who taught you how to swear?” Callum was hoping upon hope that Ezran would just leave him to it.

“I definitely want to have it and you need to hear it. You’re not over her, Callum, and you shouldn’t just throw yourself all willy nilly into a marriage. It’s a contract, literally. If you were to hate every living minute of it, which I think you would because it’s not Rayla, you literally couldn’t leave the marriage without starting a war. If drinking didn’t work, how will marrying someone?” Ezran retorted, trying to get through to Callum.

“First of all, I was drinking to celebrate my engagement, because whether you or even I like it, I am getting married. This isn’t just about Rayla but I know you’re not so naïve to think that she isn’t heavily involved because she is. But it’s also about you.” Callum said, intent on continuing before being interrupted.

“How could this possibly have anything to do with me?”

Callum pinched the bridge of his nose in annoyance, “Because Evenere has been a pain in the ass for you and they could threaten war. I am the step-prince, this may as well have been literally tattooed onto my forehead when I joined the royal family. If I can help, you, after all, you’ve done for me, then I’ll gladly do it.”

“But this won’t make me happy, Cal, we can deal with whatever they throw at us, just like we have been before. With the support of Xad-”

“THEY NEARLY KILLED YOU LAST TIME!” Callum shouted, breathing heavily, “They had a knife to your throat and if I had been a second, and I mean a second, later you would not be having this conversation with me right now, and I didn't see Xadia lift a fucking finger bar sending a letter. A fucking letter,” Callum stated dumbfounded before continuing.

“I may be one of the most powerful humans alive right now, but I’m still too weak. I can’t protect you physically all the time, it’s impossible and I’m sure you agree, deep down. As for the kingdom, you’re popular right now, but will troops continually keep up moral with attack after attack after attack taking place in the kingdom?”

“I know you want the best for me, Ez, I really know you do. But I can’t marry Rayla, because she left me and took a gigantic shit over everything we’d built. This, the peace, was maintained by your slaving with the other stubborn human kingdoms as well as Xadia to maintain a shaky alliance. Bar bringing Zym back with us, which we can’t thank her enough for, she’s done nothing but lie and deceive! I have more self-respect to realise that, if she wanted to, she would’ve come back, but she didn’t. You don’t need to the Star Arcanum to figure that one out,” He concluded bitterly.

“You can’t think that, surely,” Ez gaped at his brother’s saddening monologue, never having truly seen him this upset about the situation.

Sure, Callum would rant sometimes, causing Ezran to pick up quite the repertoire of colourful language over the years, but Callum had usually become quite a guarded person, only telling Ezran and Soren a fraction of the things he was properly feeling.

“It’s the only logical solution.” He smirked, “Anyway, it’s not like she’s here to explain it to me.”

“She got you bad, didn’t she?” Ezran asked in a worried tone.

“Worse than I let on,” Callum said, tears that he tried to wish away pooling in the corner of his eyes.

Callum sighed and continued “Ez, I love you and I care for you. I’ll never leave your side without your blessing, but I really need to do this, for me. To move on and help keep this, let’s be honest weak as shit, peace alive. It’s one step closer to the dream, one step closer from never having to worry about war again, whether it’s Viren or another crazed lunatic, we’ll be united and strong like we should be.”

Ezran hugged his brother tightly, “Okay, she’ll be arriving in a week, I think. Thank you for doing this, even when I didn’t ask. You really are the best brother,” He said into Callum’s shoulder.

“I know,” Callum teased relishing the moment as one of his most cherished.

===

Claudia fainted again.

This was now the third time she’d resurrected her father from the dead and, honestly, it was getting both more taxing for her and increasingly more pointless. She loved her father, but he was slowing them down considerably. They had plans to attend to and dying doesn’t help anything, especially not when Aaravos’ vessel was just out and about, intimidating and graceful all in one.

Though it couldn’t, apparently, use the full extent of his magic, Aaravos had still demonstrated immense power that had frightened Claudia. The way he didn’t need to utter incantation either only made Claudia more apprehensive and more thankful that they had a purpose in the elves’ plans. Just about.

Her father’s continual deaths were making her increasingly worried about his usefulness in the eyes of the powerful archmage, praying that he could still somehow be of use to him. The first time he’d died had been when he was tackled off of the top of the storm spire by that elven bitch, she’d make her pay later. It had been the most taxing of the three due to the fact that she was weaker then and that the extent of the injuries was much worse.

The second time he’d been grouped upon by several Earthblood mages, effectively ripping his skin from his body until Aaravos had reversed the spell, still leaving him as a bloodied corpse, Claudia had barely been able to save him as her hair turned three-quarters white, now it was as white as a Moonshadow's and far too young.

She didn’t care, not really, this was her father and the only piece of a family she had left at all, including Soren. She’d often spend around half of her day crying to herself about the loss of her big brother, the one that was meant to tell her everything was okay, the one that understood her pain, not give her an ultimatum.

Their father was only trying to better humanity, only doing what was necessary and what people had been too afraid to tackle before. He was strong and he was her father. After the distraught she had suffered after her mother had left, Claudia knew she’d do anything for her family and, despite knowing this plan had some crazy elements to it, she’d see it through to the end.

Besides, Aaravos was scarier than any being she’d ever seen, including the dragons that they had faced off against at the battle of the storm spire or whatever bollocks the elves and humans are calling it over their flimsy peace. His oxymoronic demeanour of calmness while literally possessing the ability to be able to snap her in half if he so chose, and he nearly did.

When he’d first came out of ‘the cocoon’, as she’d been calling it, he was frail but still more intelligent than anyone she’d spoken to. He was collected and commanded respect and loyalty from the first unsettling words he spoke, a simple, ‘it’s time’.

She’d not taken kindly to how she was treating her father and certainly wasn’t used to Viren willingly following someone round as if they belonged to them. The only person he’d marginally listen to was King Harrow, but that was out of friendship not due to the authority that the late King held. She’d assumed correctly that he’d been manipulated and the whole time was made to believe that everything was his idea, quite brilliant if it wasn’t so malevolent.

When she’d confronted Aaravos he’d merely laughed at her so-called insolence and expected her to head his warning of not delving further into her discoveries, whilst simultaneously commending her for realising what was happening and stated she’d be a valuable asset to his conquest. She’d disagreed. Big mistake.

In half a second, he’d had her restrained by the earth while she hung from make-shift earthen shackles that dug into her skin, a needle a centimetre from her face. When it pricked her, she saw a painful flash of the future that she’d spent much of the last several years burning from her mind, her body being torn apart limb from limb slowly and then being sewn back together with a poison-tipped needle, not allowing her to die while feeling excruciating pain.

She’d come to later, realising that she was nothing but an insignificant means to an end and had no hope of ever coming close to rivalling this extraterrestrial being, not even at his full extent of power.

She’d come to realise that the old adage of ‘if you can’t beat them, join them’ ran startlingly true in her case, coming as a true blessing. To put it lightly, Aaravos was amazing and with him, it seemed like the vision her father had would come true, even if he was not in control. They finally had a chance so long as they stuck to the plan and all did their parts, she’d have her revenge on the elven whore who’d turned Callum against her and killed her father.

She’d been told by her father that it was indeed Callum who had been there to swoop down and save his murderer from meeting her deserved fate. It only furthered Claudia’s understanding that Callum had been turned against the human nations and was continuing to be brainwashed, with rumours surfacing of him spending a surprising amount of time in the Xadian lands. At least that made their next part a lot easier.

“Again?” Aaravos’ silky smooth voice rang out from behind their secluded forest, protected by illusion and all sorts of traps.

“I know, I know, I told him not to, he just couldn’t let it go about that meddling Moonshadow. Hey! That’s kind of poetic!” She giggled.

“Ever the serious party aren’t we Claudia,” Aaravos half smiled, “He’s running his usefulness dry and at this rate, he’ll be more of a hindrance rather than an adversary, need I remind you that we don’t need any setbacks now that we’re about to strike,” Aaravos finished, his silent threat as clear as the water than ran through the ocean.

“I’m sorry, but please, he’s still useful and he still has pulled in the human kingdoms, more than you and I could ever hope to have even with the fear factor,” Claudia stated it as if was the most obvious fact in the world.

“Fear factor, huh,” Aaravos chuckled menacingly as Claudia rolled her eyes.

“Oh shush, you know what I mean,”

“You raise an adequate point, but there must be a reason for them to listen to him.”

“What do you mean? What is even the plan, you never told me?”

“You’re going to hit the peace treaty where it hurts,” He smiled devilishly

“Me?” Claudia asked, surprised.

“I will lend you some power, enough for you to achieve the goal.”

Claudia groaned at the secrecy, “Ugh, what is the goal?”

“Kill the young king,”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> It's majorly heating up rn and the story is getting spicy soon!
> 
> sobrius sursum= 'Sober up' in Latin. Creative, I know.
> 
> This is the only fic (I have a few saved in my drafts for when I finish NPNG and ITTT) that i have ever planned for, so prepare to hate me for a bit.
> 
> On a different note, how does everyone feel about what Rayla did, I'd love to have a conversation with as many people in the comments about how we all think Callum and Rayla will deal with it. In my opinion, I think they are made for one another, but I want Callum to turn this into an opportunity to be more independent and become a sky mage. I think it was very unfair that Rayla just left Callum like that after everything they've been through but I hope they really talk it out and that Callum doesn't just roll over for her. I want him to want her not need her if that makes sense.
> 
> As always i'd love constructive criticism :)
> 
> Next Up: Princess Elizabeth arrives, Rayla visits Ethari and learns painful truths about Callum and Aaravos sets his plan in motion.
> 
> If anyone has seen Seven Deadly Sins, Elizabeth is based on the 'Liz' version of the Elizabeth from that, I'll attach a link next chapter.


	3. Maybe

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Rayla goes home whilst Elizabeth arrives in Katolis... there's a connection.
> 
> Slightly longer chapter because I'm in love with this fic.

Home. This was her home, so she should be able to walk in with her head held high, right? She’d completed her mission and killed Viren and… she’d enjoyed it, something that was like streaking in public to Moonshadow elves and something Rayla wasn’t actually ashamed. Well, she was ashamed that she wasn’t ashamed, and even more so that she was acting like a cowering puppy with its tail between its legs, not having the courage to complete the ritual and enter the Silvergrove.

She’d been given free reign to return to the Silvergrove when she felt like it, having saved the Dragon Prince did wonders to Xadian popularity. Despite that, she knew that the council would have done so begrudgingly as they’d still be portraying her as a traitor for siding with a human. The most amazing, brave, handsome and dorky human in all the lands, the one that made her heart yearn from him and sewed seeds of doubt into her mind constantly.

She needed to see him, to explain all her thoughts and tell him that it was okay that he didn’t want her anymore as he inevitably wouldn’t. She was sure he’d hate her with all his heart for betraying his trust. He was alive though, and she could deal with him alive and hating her rather than dead and loving her. She’d visit him in a few months, watching from afar making sure he was safe, protecting him from unseen dangers and eventually revealing herself to him, showing the scars she had come to acquire over the past years both mentally and physically. For now, she’d deal with stubborn Moonshadow elves and ask for Ethari’s advice and forgiveness.

Though, by definition and appearance, she was a Moonshadow elf through and through, she couldn’t help but feel an air of nervousness sweep through the clearing, another thing that reminded her of Callum and that he was no longer with her. She performed the elegant and painfully familiar ‘key’ dance to gain entrance, her breath hitching when she saw the village come into view.

Every eye was laid upon her as soon as she had completed the ritual dance and the concealment spell had faded. She steeled herself to prevent herself from squirming under their intense stares, feeling more and more incongruous in her surrounding despite this being the place she had called ‘home’ and loved with all her heart for most of her life. Until they abandoned her, how ironic.

She probably would have smiled at the irony and hypocrisy of the whole situation if it hadn’t been to painstakingly torturous to realise that she had done the same thing to Callum and still hung onto a corner or her heart, telling her that it was different as she had done so to protect him and they had done it to abandon her and, if not for the royal pardon of the literal Queen of the Dragons, she still would have been an outcast. The same part of her heart told her that he’d forgive her and would understand her reasoning… hopefully.

She trudged past the growing crowd, having to avoid and even barge through people that were deliberately leaving shoulder and ankles out to deliberately discourage her and make her feel dreadful with any deed they could. Sneers and name calling had never much been a thing in her culture, but boy could they be hurtful and spiteful when used with so much hate and denigration.

“Traitor,” Came on hushed reply.

“Failure,” Came another.

“Why didn’t you stay away?” Sneered a third.

“You disgust me,” Another ventured as all the hate began to swirl around her head, making it hard to breathe.

She kept the classical Moonshadow façade of not having feelings, and she was damn good at hiding it from them, from… everyone really. As she got the edge of the crowd and began walking, towards Ethari’s blacksmith and tinkering workshop, she thought about a time where anyone had really asked her if she was alright or realsied when she was down. There was only one.

Tears began to fall freely down her cheeks as she was truly free of the belligerent and confrontational masses and the emotions of the last couple months from her last cry had caught up to her. She had the love of her life… yet she left him to chase something that she’d promised to go together, seeing him several times and hearing some tales of a human mage in the Xadian lands. She’d always gotten emotional after those times, leaving her in need of her chestnut Prince to hold her close and whisper soothing messages that he always used to.

She wiped her tears quickly, making sure that no one was either in ear or eyeshot to witness the quiet sobs that been elicited by her cursory mind. She breathed a sigh of relied that she forgot she was feeling when she saw the workshop and all but sprinted up the stairs to the door and opened the door quickly as she could and leapt in, looking around for her foster father.

Ethari was a tall Moonshadow Elf, towering at around 6’2.5” inches (6’5 with his horns) with shoulder-length white hair, light brown eyes, and dark skin with a blueish tinge. As with other elves, he has pointed ears and horns, his own being adorned with metal clasps and jewels. His markings are a light blueish purple in colour, that are quite different to Rayla’s.

A smile adorned the features of both elves as they ran up and embraced one another, leaving the room in a palpable joy and Rayla could feel the love radiating through the hug. She needed this, needed to be held and loved, for too long she had been by herself and holed up in some godforsaken cave where she believed she was merely days from her evaders. Maybe she could finally relax. 

“I hadn’t heard from you in a while, I worried,” Etahri smiled, but there was a noticeable undercurrent of worry. Rayla smiled, a little bashfully.

“I got caught up and… I caught him up and, it-it’s over, it’s finally over,” Relief flooded through her body in tandem with her words.

“You…” Ethari gesticulated, but Rayla knew what he was asking.

“Yes, I killed him.” She said, no hint of remorse or guilt, he hadn’t deserved it after all.

“I’m… sorry Rayla,” He said honestly surprising Rayla completely.

It was meant to be a rite of passage, of sorts, to kill someone once you had been admitted to the assassin squad, and it had been the issue that everyone had held with her in the first place. She’d perceived that all Moonshadow elves would tell her that she was right to do that, or even that they were… understanding at the least.

“Sorry?” She prompted.

“Lass, you’re not built for killing, you know that as well as I do. You shouldn’t have had to do that… but I understand why you did,” Ethari smiled reassuringly at her, not conveying that he was lying.

“Thank you,” She whispered.

Later, once Ethari had made tea and gotten Rayla some moonberry juice and gotten her some of her favourite Moonberry Surprise, talking about everything that had happened to both of them over the years, Ethari apologising profusely about having ghosted her like he had done a hundred-fold before. She laughed with him about the moody and grudge-bearing inhabitants of the village.

“I’m pretty sure I’m public enemy number one!” Rayla giggled with her dry sarcasm.

“You’re not,” Ethari bantered back, expertly setting himself up for the segue in conversation.

“Who are they and what did they do? Kill the council?” She laughed, Ethari frowned.

“They almost did, and… it was Callum,” He winced slightly at her fleeting pained expression that flashed across her features.

“What?” Was all she managed to say.

Ethari sighed deeply, “how do you think that your banishment was lifted?” 

“I guess I sorta assumed that Queen Zubeia basically told them to, with a royal pardon and all that.” Rayla shrugged, unsure as to what Ethari was getting at.

“Well… that’s part of the truth, I guess. Queen Zubeia did give you a royal pardon but even she was reluctant to get involved in Moonshadow ghosting affairs, knowing how spiteful and unpleasant we can be when given the chance. Well the story goes that Callum flew from Katolis to the Storm Spire every week for the last year until Queen Zubeia gave the pardon, going as far as threatening to sever the peace treaty that was stricken up due to maltreatment of a war hero. She relented and sent word to the SIlvergrove council.” Rayla was staring in shock and disbelief.

“He-he did that… for me?” Rayla asked, aghast.

“There’s more,” Ethari smiled, “The council were painfully stubborn and so was, well everyone bar me. They refused adamantly that you had committed several unforgiveable facts and were especially reluctant to follow the indirect order from someone they considered a lesser being. They argued the case for weeks, never once relenting. Eventually, Callum turned up and… well it’s something to ask him about when you see him. You are going to see him, right?” Ethari prompted.

“He won’t want to see me, and I can’t blame him for it,” Rayla said, resigned voice taking effect.

“You don’t know that until you see him,” Ethari gently reminded her.

“I know but… wait, why do you want this? He’s a human,” Rayla stated guardedly, failing miserably at hiding her protective tone.

“He’s a lovely young man is what he is.” Ethari said kindly but firmly, “He’s come here, to the Silvergrove, many a time and always been respectful and helpful to me. He’s respectful to the others because it is expected of him, but he doesn’t hide his distaste for what was done to you… for what I did to you,” He looked down at his feet, Rayla closing her fingers around his large hand to reassure him.

“I told you, it’s all forgiven,” She smiled infectiously as a kind smile took the place of the downtrodden look that had been there previously.

“He really misses you, I know he does, and if you’re well and truly done with you mission… you should see him,” Ethari tried.

“I’ll see him when I’m ready, besides, he won’t want to see me after what I’ve done.” Rayla wasn’t sure if she was trying to convince Ethari or if she was trying to engrain it into her own mind.

“Who are you trying to fool, Rayla, because I think its yourself. Have you not been listening to what I told you? Would a man that didn’t miss you desperately miss you, say that? And that’s not all.” He said, attempting to will the information into Rayla’s self-deprecating and the seemingly genetic ability to have a thick skull.

“I-I guess,” She said meakly, “I just feel so guilty and I know that I would be furious if he had left me to do something. But he’s not a Moonshadow, he doesn’t understand what it means for me and why I’d need to do it. He’s too precious to be put through the way I was living, and I care too much for him to allow it. I wouldn’t be able to guarantee his safety one hundred percent, where as Ezran can, it needed to be done… I just can’t help but fear for the worse.” She sighed heavily, having disparaged her heavy story onto Ethari, feeling slightly lighter.

“If you two really love each other, then there is pretty much nothing that you won’t be able to ger through with one another. He’ll have some things to say in response to your reasoning, but I believe it will only get easier the quicker you go see him and talk more. As you said, you two are different people from different species that have, what I can see as, an unbroken bond, you’ll be able to get through.” Ethari smiled and Rayla felt herself smile as well.

“Thanks, Ethari, I really needed that. Hopefully, he won’t have gotten into one of those trivial arranged marriages that humans so love,” Rayla laughed nervously as some anxiety crept into what she was saying.

Seeing this, Etahri joined in, a little too forcibly, trying desperately to ease the mood, but something was still bugging Rayla about what she had been told by her foster father.

“You said Callum had done more, how so?” She couldn’t resist at least getting an idea of how the love of her life had changed.

“That’s for you to find out really, he wasn’t very talkative to me, but I’ve heard things around Xadia about the young man, positively raving about him and his abilities. There are, of course, the antonymic rumours that say other things. Those are mainly from the other human Kingdoms,” Ethari admitted.

“What do they say?” She asked wearily.

“Let’s just say that you won’t need to worry for his protection,”

===

Callum stood there in his regal attire, putting on a brave face for his brother and all the people that were sending him worried looks, including Opeli. But was the brave face really for Ezran or was it for himself? He’d spent so many days and nights sleeplessly looking at his own reflection and wondering whether this was best. Was he really okay with this, or was he just trying a last-ditch effort to move on from Rayla that didn’t involve him ending it all…again? 

He shook the thoughts from his head, chastising himself for thinking that way. He wasn’t a lovestruck puppy, he was a Prince and the first ever human mage and a bloody good one at that, he was fierce and loyal and loving to a fault. He chuckled at the thought that quickly turned to a wince as it struck close to home. He would be strong, for his brother and his kingdom.

At the very least, this girl he was marrying would expect an attentive husband and Callum would be seen lying dead in a ditch before he was ever ungentlemanly. Only, in this case, a whole flimsy peace rests in the balance of his actions with Princess Elizabeth and how he carries himself. She deserves to be treated like she would be by another arranged marriage, he only hoped that she wouldn’t make it more difficult than it already was.

He wondered what she’d be like, whether her body would be toned yet effeminate, would she be quick witted and whether she would be a warrior as well as a Princess, maybe even have an accent. He sighed, he might as well have said she should have platinum white hair, blue markings and a smile that could melt like the Breech.

Callum slapped his face, hard, gathering looks from the council and Crownguard alike. He waved off their judgement with a quirk to the lips and hard stare that had all parties seeing that he was deep in his own head, as he was usually perceived to be. He needed, above all else, to not compare this girl to Rayla. That would only end one way.

“Good for you to join us, Prince Callum,” Opeli said, only slightly sternly.

“Would you believe me if I said I spent the last hour getting ready?” He said sarcastically, eliciting a wry smile from the councilwoman.

“I believe the servants left your quarters a little over two hours ago,” She kept her professional tone clear.

“Fine, mum, I’ve been nervous. I don’t want to offend the Princess, so I was studying Evenerian culture,” He lied, something that had become incessantly easier over time and with the added effect of the Moon Arcanum.

Opeli, however, seemed to have a pre-built bullshit detector that allowed her to surpass his magic abilities. A hard glare was all it took for Callum to tell her why he was hiding.

“Ugh, fine, I’m not sure about this,” He said in a hushed tone.

“Callum…” Opeli began, not unkindly.

“I know, I know, I chose this and I’m sticking by it, no matter what. I owe this to my brother to get at least one problem off his back. I-I just feel like I could maybe see Rayla again one day and, despite what she did, I’d feel guilt… but that’s something for me and her to deal with if it ever comes to it. My brother and my country come first, and I will show the respect that Princess Elizabeth has come to deserve from her station,” Callum said, nearly perfectly reciting what Opeli had tutored him for nearly two years ago.

Opeli had a small tear aching to come out of her left eye, which she swiftly sucked back in and returned to her normal self. “I’m proud of you, Callum,” She smiled fully.

Callum wouldn’t admit it yet, but Opeli had come to mean something of a mother to him in the absence of his dearly departed mum. She was firm with him as she understood better than anyone else that was what he needed. He didn’t want people to feel like they were walking over eggshells with him, always scared to inadvertently mention Rayla and make him melancholic.

She would always talk brazenly about the Moonshadow, mentioning how she was in the wrong, not to make him feel better but to say it was unladylike to do something of that manner without preamble. Of course, sometimes Callum would get defensive of such talk and rather heated ‘discussions’ would come to form between the two, always ending with Callum revealing another part of his broken puzzle to her and crying into her shoulder or in her lap. He’d come to find that she was remarkably compassionate and loving and had the embarrassing knowledge that she used to do this with his Aunt, apparently, they were something of a thing in the past.

“Thanks, Opeli,” He smiled.

“You ready?” Soren asked

“Well she’s meant to be a beauty right, who’s really having a gift done for them,” Callum said in false cheekiness to put his friend at ease. Soren smiled back fully and returned to his post at the left and Corvus on his right.

Callum wouldn’t let anyone but Opeli see how he was feeling in this moment, otherwise there was a serious possibility that Ezran would simply tell the Evenerians to go home, consequences be damned. He shouldn’t feel guilty for how Callum felt and how he chose to act. They were all in this situation because of a choice.

Rayla made her choice three years ago, and now, he was making his.

A crow flew overhead as a series of trumpets were sounded, leading to the lowering of the drawbridge and all the crownsguard, bar Soren, to get into a neat formation that was both aesthetically pleasing as well as welcoming, with no weapons on any of them, well no weapons that they could see. Callum had cast an illusion spell on them all just in case, Evenere had made an attempt on Ezran’s life before and, while there was no evidence suggesting that it was the orders of the crown, Callum wasn’t willing to play the game with his brothers life possibly in jeopardy, another reason he was willing to marry the Princess.

Five pure-breed white Stallions as well as two mares, slightly further back from the rest of the entourage, ambled forward in controlled canters. Five guards descended towards them and stopped five metres short, eyeing up the guards and the people around. Eventually satisfied, they allowed themselves to dismount as two went over to the two cloaked figures, each laying out hands to help the people come to the ground with ease.

Queen Veronica, the eldest daughter and spitting image of the late Queen Fareeda, revealed herself first, elegantly taking down her hood and revealing her breath-taking beauty, even at her fair age, letting her red hair tied back in a bun and bangs falling towards the right side of her face, green eyes, and a fair complexion all come into view. She walked forward two steps in an elegant fashion, fashioning the entourage and Katolians to bow in tandem to her, except Ezran whom gave her a polite handshake.

“King Ezran, thank you for agreeing to my proposal, it was about time we unified,” The Queen smiled warmly.

“Couldn’t agree more,” Ezran smiled heartily, hiding the fact that he was against the whole ordeal.

“And my-oh-my, this must be Prince Callum. You certainly are a catch, young man, how you’ve changed since I last saw you. Those markings are a very culturally rich and I think it’s fantastic you’re adorning them to be pleasant,” Veronica said, tenderly if a little naïve.

Callum bit his tongue from stating his obvious distaste for her callous response, instead smiling and kissing her hand.

Callum certainly looked the part of a prince with a black velvet cloak taking the place of his bland blue jacket, golden embroidery filling the whole piece. While he would say it was eccentric, Callum could certainly admit that it was beautiful artistry that he would certainly make sure to pass on his compliments to the tailor. Under, he was wearing a, linen, maroon bandage stand up collar shirt that revealed his neck as well as belt that held the image of the Twin Towers upon the metal clasp. He wore black trousers to match his cloak and brown boots upon his feet. He’d also redone his markings and tattoos the previous night, though only his facial markings were on display.

“Elizabeth, darling, do come over,” Veronica chided jovially.

He felt his breath hitch in his throat upon seeing the princess in her full view, the cloak having been taken by servants who she thanked genuinely. Standing at around 5’4”, Callum could quickly see as to why she had earned the reputation of being a beauty. Her curvy figure but many older women’s to shame as it seemed her black dress seemed to be straining against her bust. But when he looked at the rest of her, Callum could hardly notice her body, She, had very pale skin, large light blue and orange eyes and long silver hair reaching her waist. She was stunning.

She walked confidently up to her sister, not arrogantly, but there was an obvious air of trepidation with every step she was taking. Trepidation that was more than reciprocated by Callum who felt his mouth turn dry suddenly. He didn’t normally notice women like this, maybe it was because he resigned himself to forget Rayla, or maybe it was the kind way in which she interacted with the servants that made him want to give her, give this, a chance.

She glanced nervously at the Prince in front of her, seeing him in real life made the stories of him seem very underwhelming. He was tall and skinny, yet there was an obvious broadness to his shoulders as well but, gods, his eyes were enchanting. Emerald rubies that monarchs and supernatural being alike would die for. His sharp jawline that adorned his face, leading up to his slightly agape mouth. He seemed to quickly right himself before smiling at her a little shyly and moved forward.

Callum didn’t know what came over him to have this surge of confidence, but if this was to be his wife, he would show her just what it meant to him that she was kind to the castle staff. Walking towards her, locating a crack in the castle stoned floor and then drawing a green rune, placing an image in his mind.

“Flos Pullulant,” He said, just loud enough to be heard.

Gasps were heard from all around as a single white rose sprouted from the ground and then floated perfectly into Callum’s palm as he walked the last few steps before offering, not seeing Opeli’s proud smile at how he’d remembered Evenere’s national flower. He held the flower out to Princess Elizabeth, watching her blush profusely, yet smiling all the way as she accepted it and smelt it, eliciting her to smile wider.

“Pleasure to meet you, Princess Elizabeth,” His formality seemed odd, even to him, and she somehow seemed to be pick up on this very quickly.

“Just Elizabeth please,” She asked gently, her voice was high pitched like that of a bird and seemed to swim with emotion.

“Then please call me Callum,” Callum smiled at her, not even unnerved that she seemed to have read his emotions like a book at the first meeting.

“Who are you and what have you done with my brother?” Ezran teased with a giggle, leading to a hearty laugh from Queen Veronica.

“Whatever could you mean?” Callum grumbled, not missing the smile of amusement on the Princess’ face that resembled all too closely… her.

“That was smooth, you’re not smooth,” Ezran laughed, not having seen the brief pain behind Callum’s eyes. 

“It seems Elizabeth brings the best out of him already, perfect!” Fareeda teased her daughter, producing another deep blush from Elizabeth, though she seemed to notice Callum’s shift and opted for a way to get him an out.

“Perhaps Callum could take me for a tour?” She said, hoping that he didn’t take it the real way.

His shocked face was only that for a second before he gave what he considered to be his ‘political smile’, one that was a little too tight on his face and that never reached his face. He was too caught up in painful memories of Rayla, painful because of how perfect it was between them and how they are now strangers to one another.

“It would be my pleasure,” He said honestly.

Because the Princess had taken his attention and breath straight away, there was something about her that just seemed calming, safe even. She had already displayed emotional maturity twice in quick succession, despite only having met Callum ten minutes ago. Yet it didn’t unsettle him, not really, rather it served to intrigue him further about his fiancée. The word still sounded weird, especially when he’d always linked the word to a different face. And there he went again, ruining the mood.

“Are you… okay, Callum?” Elizabeth prompted, gently.

“I’m fine,” He snapped, unintentionally, wincing as soon as the words left his lips, “Sorry, I’m just stressed a lot, and this arranged marriage is just adding to that,” He admitted.

“I know what you’re feeling.” She said, genuinely. At Callum’s quirked eyebrow, she continued. “I think you’re forgetting that this is arranged for me as well,” She stated.

Callum paled, “Gods I am such an idiot, I wasn’t even thinking about that or you… you must think I’m such an idiot. I’m so sorry, I was just… just,” Callum tired, but the words wouldn’t come out. 

“Thinking about someone else?” She prompted

“Yeah… how do you do that?” He asked, genuinely curious.

“Do what?” 

“Know exactly how I’m feeling without me having to tell you, I’m pretty sure I’m discreet.” He half chuckled, still wanting to know the answer.

“It’s a gift, I guess, I’m really not sure how I could. But I know it can be annoying so I’m really sorry if I offend you,” She said, a little frantically.

“No worries, it’s… actually kinda nice to have someone to talk to, I mean really talk to.” He smiled as she reciprocated the gesture.

“I’m sorry if you’ve been forced into this, I-” Elizabeth said, frantically again.

Callum chuckled and grasped her hand, on reflex before dropping it slowly, “Listen, Elizabeth we’ve both been forced into this to help our families and our nations, we might as well try and make the best out of the situation. Who knows, maybe it will go in the direction we both want,” He said, looking towards the sky as they walked around the castle gardens.

“And what direction do you want?” She asked, tentatively.

“I-I… I guess I want to forget someone, or at least make life better for others and have someone to do that with… truth be told, I’m quite emotional and quite alone,” He admitted his head now downcast and his eyes downtrodden.

Elizabeth took his hand in the same manner that he had, if a little more cautiously, “I’m also trying to forget someone, my first love Meliodas. He was handsy but it was good, but he just up and left, telling me I looked too much like someone he used to love, I mean, how’s that possible at sixteen!” She laughed a little, but Callum could hear the hurt in her voice.

“It’s his loss, but I think I can confirm that there are many people that will do things we’ll never understand. But we love them so we think that they’re doing it for the right reasons, even if we can’t possibly hope to understand it by ourselves. Until the doubt sets in and we either get swallowed down and drown in it or you swim to the surface of it. I hope it’s easier with someone.”

“Thank you. I can’t believe you’re lonely with how kind you are, what makes you say it?” Elizabeth lightly pushed, suspecting that Callum needed to get some little things off his chest.

Callum nearly snapped again, but realised he needed this, needed to tell someone the beginning. “All of my parents are dead… my love left me in the middle of the night… everyone treats me like a pariah because of my magic and markings… Ezran is wrapped up in running the Kingdom… I’m just alone,” He concluded.

“I’m also a bastard child, a step-princess if you will. I can’t think of any way to describe your magic besides remarkable, and I bet you only used a miniscule part of it, Ezran will be there for you when you need him, just as I’m sure you are there for him when he needs to act like a child again. And your markings. T-they’re… they’re…”

“Diabolical, disgusting…” Callum blandly ventured.

“Beautiful,” She said, looking deep into his eyes brushing a light finger over them. 

Callum gently leant away, conveying with his body that he didn’t want to go too fast, for right now, he just wanted to talk, and it seemed like he could talk with Elizabeth about anything. She was a bastard child that had also lost the one she loved, and he was damn sure to help her like she was, trying to help him,

“Why didn’t you mention, Rayla,” He blurted without thinking, going over his arguments that she answered.

“You’ll tell me everything when you’re ready,” She said confidently, guessing Rayla was the name of his love, “The same way I’ll tell you about Meliodas when I’m ready. You’re right it’s easy to talk to you,” I just feel a connection, she desperately wanted to say, but thought better of it. He was clearly harbouring feelings for Rayla and she didn’t want to come between that because of an arranged marriage.

“I’d like that, and maybe we could do one of your hobbies and talk more tomorrow after all the official proceedings,” He asked, a smile on his face.

“I’d like that, but only if you show me more magic,” She lightly teased.

Callum smiled as they went in to be seated for the Royal meal for the usual ass kissing and genuine camaraderie that was a narrative of all Royal banquets. Elizabeth and Callum were seated across from one another and talked as if they had known each other for years when it had only been a matter of hours.

They didn’t miss the smiles and winks that Opeli, Veronica and Ezran were giving each other as they all chatted as a group, Callum being delighted to find out the Elizabeth and Ezran got on. He didn’t know why he wanted them to, only that she seemed to be a light in relative the darkness that had consumed him little by little, someone he could talk to and someone she could lay her problems to as well. She was attractive no doubt, but could he really let himself go to find someone else, when he didn’t have closure.

He walked Elizabeth to her door and bid her a goodnight as he retreated to his own chambers, a smile splayed on his tired face as he went over the days events… and, for once, Rayla wasn’t present in his dreams.

Maybe, just maybe, he could move on…

===

“Please stop! I’ll tell you whatever, just stop!” The Earthblood elf screamed into the night yet couldn’t be heard due to Aaravos’ illusion spell that was like the Silvergrove’s.

“How is Rex Igneus summoned?” Aaravos repeated, Claudia raring to use the sun staff again.

The years spent with a weakened and dishevelled father as well as the mesmerising startouch with ulterior motives, had turned Claudia into somewhat of a sadist as she relished making people she deemed to have broken her father, who was now sleeping most of the day. With a shuddering realisation, she knew this meant he was coming to the end of Aaravos’ use for him.

Unaware that he was simply saying these things to turn her into an image of fear and make her hate elven kind as well as turn her more devoted towards completing the mission, and then he would dispose of her, easily.

“He comes up every one hundred years, but we can call on him if the council all call upon their arcana together,” The Earthblood panted.

“And who’s on this council?” Clauida growled degradingly, showing another trunk under the nail of the elf, producing a bloodcurdling scream.

“M-Me… a-a-and… AHH… the other s-six you k-k-killed… AHHH,” he finished as the final root was placed in his right eye, just shallow of his brain. “Just kill me!” He cried, pleadingly

“We didn’t kill them, and we’re nit going to kill you, oh no. Think if this more as a… recruitment,” Aaravos smiled menacingly at the petrified Earthblood elf.

Clauida rolled her eyes, “Ugh, you’ve said that to every single one, can’t you like, you know, scare them some other way. I mean, it’s getting tedious to watch,” Clauida grumbled.

“But they all wet themselves,” Aaravos uncharacteristically whined,

“They’ll do that anyway, because a very intimidating elf is shoving roots in their body along with a human,” Claudia replied exasperatedly.

“If I didn’t know any better, I’d say you’re flirting with me,” Aaravos teased in his sweet-as-honey tone.

“Ew, gross, how old are you?” 

“5012,” He replied with a smile on his face.

“Bleurgh, that’s disgusting,” She stated.

“Why? Don’t I look fantastic for my age, I mean, you humans hit sixty and become undesirable, but me at 5012? I look fantastic,” He leaned over to whisper in Claudia’s ear, “And this isn’t even my final form,” He smiled as she blushed slightly, mostly out of embarrassment.

“And as for you… welcome to the team,” He smiled as he crushed the horn with his bare right hand, “dnammoc ot enim era ydob dna dnim ,luos ,traeh ruoY,”

The screaming ceased, “So what now?” She said bored as he Earthblood joined the ‘legion’ thagt was created making numbers close to five hundred.

“Now, we get something for me… and in one months’ time, you bring Katolis and King Ezran to the ground, where they’ll rest and serve as a reminder to fall in line…” He smiled

“Or die,” Claudia finished, merciless smile on her face.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Flos Pullulant- Flower sprout, while thinking said flower
> 
> No- they havent fallen in love and no- Callum has not just fallen out of love with Rayla.
> 
> He's in extreme emotional pain and he has met someone that, emotionally, he's finding things he wants to connect with. I hope it doesn't look like they're moving too fast, because that would be unrealistic. They are trying to build one another's trust.
> 
> As I said last chapter, this Elizabeth is based on Eilzabeth Liones from Seven Deadly Sins, but more like season 3 her with no powers and more emotional maturity but she will still be the same emotional Elizabeth from the show. I hope I portrayed her in a way that's favourable and if not... tell me how to improve.
> 
> Constructive criticism is the only way I can be sure to produce the best possible reading material.
> 
> Hope you like it so far; it's only gonna get worse before it gets better for Rayllum fans i.e. myself. :(
> 
> Someone rightfully pointed out that Fareeda is dead, thank you! I have made her ‘sister’ the queen but she will not be in any subsequent chapters :)
> 
> Next Up (Timeskip): Holidays at the Banther Lodge, Rayla meets with Zubeia and Aaravos has a surprise in store for everyone


	4. Is it really that simple?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Rollercoaster of emotions coming through!

“No, I won’t hear anymore on the matter. How many more times must I say it?” Ezran grumbled from his horse.

“Sire, this must be discussed, Del Bar and Neolandia are expecting answers, we must provide them,” Opeli tried, feebly, to insist.

Ezran wasn’t having it, “Then they can wait the three days I am at the Banther Lodge guessing what I’ll say, this is my holiday, and I will be spending it without politics. That’s an order,” He ended with a smug face, knowing Opeli was a stickler for the rules and she wouldn’t dare to go against her King’s words, though she also adorned a small smirk, tugging at the corners of her lips.

Elizabeth giggled at the altercation, feeling a pang of sympathy for the young King, he’d been through so much at such a young age and was still a better and more wise king than the majority of his predecessors and would only continue to grow into a fine King that he already showed more than enough qualities to back up her assessment.

He’d been kind and welcoming her and she knew it wasn’t just because she was due to marry his brother, but also because he was that type of man. He put others before himself and always made time for his people, despite how apprehensive everyone was to him at the beginning of his reign and the multiple assassination attempts he’d survived.

When she’d consoled him on his tough beginning of his reign, he was warm and grateful for her empathy, but looked towards Callum’s gloomy body that had its eyes fixed ahead but weren’t in focus. Ezran had a dark flash in his eyes that transformed immediately into sadness and asked Elizabeth for a moment alone with his brother. She agreed, of course, but knew there was more to the assassination attempts and Callum’s well being than meets the eye.

They’d spoken more and more, growing closer and more comfortable by the day since she’d arrived a month ago. In that time, however, Rayla was mentioned once and Callum had abruptly made up a half-hearted excuse to leave. She’d followed him in the shadows at the behest of Ezran, who had picked up that she was empathetically mature, and saw him go to a particular point of the castle, the previous high mage’s room.

She didn’t need to be near him know he was crying his heart out, whoever this Rayla was, she had hurt him in a way that he believed he was beyond repair and unlovable. She knew why he agreed to marry her, it wasn’t to stop the bad blood, because she had heard that his magical ability was that of the finest one hundred dark mages in the human kingdoms. He agreed to have her hand in marriage to forget.

She didn’t make it easier for him by being so atoned to his thoughts and feeling through just gestures and facial expressions. He wanted to move on, to let her into his life. But he was scared, she realised, he was scared to allow someone else in his life, that he loved with all his will, to leave again.

He’d had three parents taken from his before their dues, something that should never happen to any child. She was in the same boat but with only two of her parents, enabling her to sympathise more with him and again making them more compatible. He didn’t have to hide his emotions, or create a façade with her, he didn’t have to be the first human primal mage or the defender of Katolis. He could be Callum, with all the best parts and all the broken ones because God knew she was broken as well.

She hoped he would allow her into his heart as she had come to begin allowing him into her own. He was attractive, not buff but lithe and toned from the little she had seen when he’d show her some magic that she’d beg to see through nothing else but pure intrigue and then marvel at what he was always able to do, usually something that she could wear or sometimes something to mess with her a little, like a giant spider illusion.

It was more than his looks; it was his personality that won her over. She pondered over how easy it would be for someone to give up and lock themselves away from the world and to barely function, hiding away from the pain of everyday life. But Callum soldiered on and even though he’d have some episodes of pain and darkness flash through his eyes and gait, he was still bubbly, sarcastic and a treat to be around and he treated her for more than she was worth, always making time for her and showing her around Katolis.

She was still very respectful of the feelings he still harboured for Rayla and the thoughts still festered in his mind about. She was a war hero; Callum’s first love and she was still in his heart and he still loved her and maybe he always would. She didn’t want to come between all of that and didn’t want to be that girl that broke apart lovers due to an arranged marriage. But she hadn’t come back in three years, not even checked in with him.

It had taken Elizabeth three weeks of patience with Callum for him to open up a small amount, recounting his thoughts and feelings of how he’d felt in the past, about he never seemed to be the Prince that the Kingdom wanted and he wasn’t enough to stop his parents dying. He said that Rayla made him feel whole again, and he still couldn’t really understand nor feel anything other than sadness towards her departure.

Elizabeth sat there and felt her eyes well up with tears that began falling in tumbles, something that she stated was a side effect of her ability to be so emotionally mature. They shared a wry laugh about it and Callum brought her into a tentative embrace. They sat there for a while, saying nothing and enjoying each other’s embrace. 

He looked very sheepish and embarrassed after the hug as it was more physical contact that he’d had with a woman in a long time, not including Opeli. They’d sometimes hold hands when they were in public, but that was more for image, even if she thought that Callum enjoyed it. She had also put her hand on his chest accidentally after laughing at a fantastic impersonation of Opeli, to which he’d looked startled but remained there and smiled warmly at her. She’d edged forwards towards him slightly before he’d said they ought to get ready for dinner, leaving her staring at where he was and staring at the empty space, blushing furiously.

She’d be his friend first and then, if she could get her happy ending in this arranged marriage, they could be more. She’d opened up to him in a tearful way when she’d been reminded of Meliodas, about what he’d done in particular. They’d done more than kissing and Elizabeth cried that he’d think less of her and then continued crying about how used she felt. He’d comforted her and solidified his place in her heart saying that it didn’t matter what she did back then, it mattered how much he was coming to rely on her now.

It was of course easier for Elizabeth as Meliodas had at least made it clear to her that they were over and given her a reason. Rayla and Callum seemed to be under the pretences that they still had a relationship under all of the wreckage that her departure had caused, his heart being the largest piece of debris.

He still couldn’t divulge all of his feelings to her, even though she said she’d always listen to anything he wanted to tell her. She could tell there was more to come from him, surrounding darker parts of his life, and she suspected it had somethings to do with his scars that he never talked apart and especially at the mentions of assassins of any kind. He’d tell her eventually, and she promised herself that she’d be there to pick up the pieces of his own realisation.

“You okay?” Callum asked, still giggling slightly from Ezrans pout.

“Y-yeah, was just thinking about something,” She smiled, blushing a little.

“Oh no! We’re all in trouble now,” he teased, light-heartedly.

“Bastard!” She laughed, swatting him on the shoulder.

“Literally,” He said, only managing a half chuckle.

“Callum, I’m so sorry, I didn’t mean it like that,” She rushed to apologise, chastising herself.

“No harm Elizabeth, I told you I don’t like people walking on eggshells around me, and you don’t. I’ll truly never be able to thank you enough for that.” He smiled and took her hand, rubbing circles on the back of it.

“You know you’re not technically a bastard, because Queen Sarai remarried, right?” She asked,

“Huh, never thought about it like that. Looks like I owe you something else.” Callum smiled at her.

“Callum, you owe me nothing… to be honest, I like seeing you happy, it helps me be happy. I get very emotional when someone dear to me is also upset, and you’ve been through things I could never imagine. I only wish I could help more,” She admitted, sheepishly, Callum stared at her in shock for a second before taking her hands in his own.

“I owe you everything; my livelihood was gone; my sanity was running out and I was falling into pieces. I’ve only known you a month, ye I can’t possibly see anyone else I’d rather talk to or listen to than you… and I mean that with every part of me, including the broken ones.” He rubbed the back on her hands and Elizabeth found herself blushing. Hard. 

Callum continued, seemingly unabashed by her blushing, yet stared at her with what she could only guess were adoring eyes. “You’ve not had such an easy life either, but for you to trust me with your problems, it means the world to me. I listen to dozens of problems each day, as you know, from petty land squabbles to stopping A-… assassins,” There it was again, the darkness that swept across his eyes whenever that word was mentioned. “But I regard your problems above all that. Elizabeth, I know that this is an arranged marriage, but it’s more than that for me. You’re more than my fiancée, you’re my friend, you’re someone whom I cherish now. Rayla will probably always be in my heart… but that doesn’t mean there isn’t any room left f-for you,” He was blushing, and Elizabeth could only stare at him.

How long had this been brewing within him? How long had he felt like that? To feel that he was moving out of the arranged marriage mindset and into a mindset that allowed for… more. And what did the last part mean? Could it mean that, while he will love Rayla, he can love her equally, given time? Too many questions swirled around her head and maybe that’s why she let her judgement drop and she did what her body wanted rather than her mind.

She leant over the gap between their mares and planted a soft kiss to his cheek. It seemed like Callum was as shocked as she was as he blushed a shade of red that she was sure wasn’t healthy, and she could feel her cheeks rising feverishly at her actions.

“I’ll be waiting, for whenever you’re ready,” She smiled, her voice remarkably calm considering how her mind was creaming at her for kissing his cheek like she did. She didn’t wait to see that Callum smiled warmly, or that he held the place on his cheek where she had kissed while she went ahead to the stables and he simply stared after her.

Even in her thick winter clothing, he could still make out her curves through her clothing and he was only human and a man at that. Of course, he convinced himself, lamely, that it was the artist in him that was admiring her beauty not because he felt anything. He slapped his forehead at how much banthershit was coming from his thoughts.

If he didn’t feel anything then why did he say that last sentence, and why was he still holding his cheek the same way when Claudia first kissed it. No. He’d never compare Elizabeth to Claudia, they weren’t even on the same playing field. Elizabeth was kind, compassionate, endearing, beautiful and funny where all the traits that Callum could name for Claudia were dispelled by her use of dark magic and the hundreds of Sunfire elves she’d killed at the Battle of the Storm Spire.

What does that make me? Killing those soldiers by blowing them down the hill and killing all those assassins in the castle, even those who had surrendered. As grimacing as it was to think about, it was completely true. Consumed by rage, Callum had nearly gone all the way to Del Bar and brought the whole Kingdom to the ground, and he probably could’ve. Only when Ezran had looked at him, not with disgust but with compassion, stating that he’d be no better than Claudia or Viren did he stop and broke down into tears in front of his brother, calling himself a monster. It was the only time he asked his brother to end his pain. Because it caused Ezran to cry and hug his brother tighter, begging him not to talk like that agai.

Eventually, he’d need to speak to Elizabeth about what he really was. He suspected that she already knew that something was up to do with assassins, but she’d never asked. She knew that he’d tell her when she was ready and he would, tonight. In all senses, she was perfect, not just for him, but in general. She was the first person that he’d drawn in over two years since he’d destroyed his other sketchbooks in fits of rage or sadness

Her only fault was… she wasn’t Rayla.

===

Elizabeth gave her horse to the lovely stable boy and gave him a hefty tip for his politeness, desperately hoping her embarrassment from kissing Callum’s cheek earlier. What had she been thinking? I mean, he had been getting closer and more intimate and what had he expected her to do when he gave such a heartfelt and adoring speech? He was basically asking for it.

She only hoped that she hadn’t ruined everything that she’d worked so hard to build, hoped that he wouldn’t now run for the hills or think that she was trying to dispel his feeling for Rayla. Most of all, she hoped that he didn’t feel forced or trapped because of the fact that this was an arranged marriage, and he seemed to be developing feelings for her, the same way she was for him. 

She slept restlessly that night, and that continued over into the morning, leaving her to say goodbye to Opeli, Ezran and Corvus as they had to return for an ‘urgent’ meeting to find where Viren was. Callum and Soren chose to stay for another two days to really relax and Callum was adamant that Elizabeth should stay as well. Now she was sitting on the long table, so lost in her thoughts she didn’t see Callum stand next to her.

“Someone’s brooding,” Came the same voice that caused butterflies to come out.

“I didn’t think you’d come,” Elizabeth admitted, bashfully.

“What could ever give you that idea?” Callum’s voice was filled with genuine fear and concern.

“Didn’t you think I went too far?” Elizabeth couldn’t stop herself from blurting out.

“Kissing my cheek, you mean?” He prompted and she his uncertainty lead to her worries increasing.

“Oh god, I’m so sorry Callum, I didn’t want to be forceful or make you uncomfortable, but you were saying all those lovely things and I-I…” She abruptly cut off when Callum leant forward and pressed a slightly longer kiss to her cheek.

“Don’t apologise for that, I-I liked it. And that is what I meant by saying there is room in my heart for you. The way things are going with how much you’re helping me, there won’t be much space for… others,” Oh.

“You don’t mean…”

“I guess I don’t really know. I want to see her, but I don’t at the same time. I want her to look at me, I mean really look at me and see the pain I’ve been through. I want her to see that I survived, that I didn’t need her, didn’t need her protection that I should be enough… why aren’t I enough?” He said, his voice barely a whisper.

“Oh Callum, I can’t speak for Rayla, but you’re right.” At his startled expression, she continued. “You don’t need anyone, you’re the first human primal mage for crying out loud, you may be one of the most powerful beings on the continent. But that doesn’t change who you are to those you live and those who love you. You’ll always be enough, Prince or not, magic or magicless, for me. Always.” She smiled and he had a tear in his eye.

“I may not need anyone else… but that doesn’t mean I won’t want someone,” Elizabeth felt her breath hitch as she stared at his eyes, his gorgeous emeralds as he stared at her heterochromia eyes. She let her gaze wonder down to his lips and then back up to his face as she stood up.

They inched closer to each other, their faces now millimetres apart as he rested his forehead against hers, their breath intermingling. She opened her eyes to see his already fixated on hers. He gently used the flat of his finger to tilt her chin slightly upwards and moved closer, tantalizingly slow, until they were a hair width apart. They leant further, closing the final distance.

“Who wants our annual spa-ar,” Soren’s singsong voice, stopped them right before they could start. “Oh god, was I interrupting something?” Soren said, trying not to laugh.

“You were, but let’s spar,” Callum grumbled.

“Actually, as Callum is my fiancée, I’d like this first spar,” Elizabeth said, hiding her disdain for being interrupted at the worst possible time.

Callum giggled at the altered wording from traditional human weddings. “I’d be delighted,”

“No magic though, I’m not that good,” Elizabeth smiled.

“This is gonna be the best!” Soren was giddy.

“I’m sure you’ll love to see the princess hand my arse to me,” Callum chuckled.

“Anytime you’d like Prince Callum,” She said before she could stop herself and sent the two young adults into furious blushes.

“I like her,” Elizbeth could hear Soren whisper at Callum, but was disappointed not to hear the reply.

The two of them entered the area, a small clearing that had all the snow shovelled off by Soren. The area was about twenty metres long and ten metres wide, so the spar would be in close quarter combat style, which was actually preferable to Elizabeth.

She wasn’t an out and out fighter, trained in elegant fighting rather than forceful, always using her opponent against themselves and making them absorbed in her fluid movements. This was known as jiu-jitsu and it had been passed down the generations of Evenerian Queens as a way they would always fight. Her late mother had taught her from a young age and let the weapons she now wielded choose her rather than her choosing it and forcing it.

She had always come to travel with her twin sai’s, two twenty one and a half inch pieces of the finest black metal that the human kingdoms could provide, they had been deemed to be the perfect complimentary to her own personality, beautiful yet deadly although she’d argue with the latter having never even come close to killing anyone. She fought only when necessary or in non-threatening environments.

Soren whistled appreciatively at her weapons, “Nice, very nice… ready to start?” 

Elizabeth removed her winter cloak and pretended not to relish the look that Callum gave her before seemingly turning a switch and reverting to a blank face, but his eyes couldn’t lie. She was about to advance in her loose dress that allowed her the full range of movement, when Callum took his own jumper off, leaving him in only a blue tunic, black trousers and boots.

“Are you crazy? You’ll catch a cold,” She fussed momentarily until Callum started chuckling a sweet laugh.

“Sky Primal, flying means my body has gotten used to the cold in the skies, so it’s a lot warmer down here,” He smiled easily, and Elizabeth stared at him in wonder.

“Flying?” Her voice was full of awe.

“I didn’t tell you? How about this, if you beat me, I’ll take you on your own personal flight.” He teased and Elizabeth narrowed her eyes.

“Oh, it is on,” She smiled and made the first move.

Callum was using a type of metal staff that she hadn’t ever seen in any of the human kingdoms she’d been to, meaning it had to be Xadian and something to do with magic. But with him not using maigc, it worked to the same principle of fighting against others with those types of weaponry, spears and staffs. She’d need to get up close and personal, she did just that.

Flicking up some snow with her foot so it went into his eyes, Elizabeth advanced spurred on in confidence as he seemed to swat only a portion away, effectively blinding him. As she approached, she was confused by the smug smirk on his face when he matched every one of her hits and kicks blow for blow.

“Think it would be that easy?” Callum smiled, keeping his eyes shut and obviously waiting for the snow to melt before he could open them. But it would be a decent amount of time before they would be completely clear.

“How can you… the sky primal,” She shook her head fondly.

“Bingo,” He smirked before advancing himself, bringing his staff to the ground and swept along the ground in a manner quicker than someone like him should have been able to, causing a whole wave of snow to descend upon her.

She quickly and elegantly backflipped and avoided the full onslaught but didn’t get a second to breathe before Callum was on her in a flash, using both sides of his staff in quick succession to off balance Elizabeth.

She matched him strike for strike, increasingly impressed by his ability to fight her blind, but she wasn’t going to let up. Seeing an opening, Elizabeth stood perfectly still for a second rendering Callum also stationary before she slid down and kicked Callum’s feet from under him, causing him to yelp a little and fall into the air.

However, when she went to strike him again and end the fight, she saw him standing with one foot on top of his vertically standing staff, smiling at her with a smug expression and his eyes finally open. He really was amazing, and she was getting tired, but she still had one more card up her sleeve. 

In a deliberate fashion, Elizabeth extended her arms and spun wildly around causing her dress to being to flair out and revealed her secret weapons. There, her underwear was on full display and Elizabeth once more relished how Callum’s jaw dropped, and he seemed to stop functioning. Perfect.

She ran forward, using her second that she had earned wisely, and tackled Callum to the ground. Both weapons were discarded, and it was now Elizabeth on top of Callum, the pair just staring into one another’s eyes, nothing being said, no word needing to be shed.

“You ch-cheated,” Callum breathed out heavily, Elizabeth chastising herself for fixating on his Adam’s apple.

“M-my bad,” She smiled back for a second, her breath hitching as she began to lean forward towards him, giving plenty of time for him to back out… and he did.

“I-I… I can’t be here right now… not with you,” He said genuinely downcast and disappointed, “Manus Pluma Volantus,” And then he was gone before she could stop him.

Sobs threatened to break out of her as she went over the events of the day and the conversations that were had, her mind coming to a blank as to why he said he couldn’t be there with her. Hadn’t he been leaning towards her before? Why was this time different? And she was sure that he had been admiring her beauty just moments before, but she could have read it wrong. Gods, she’d messed up a good thing, hadn’t she?

“Hey, he’ll come around, he always does,” Soren smiled at her. He’d always been very polite and kind to her and they’d shared a fondness for laughing at council members, Elizabeth being infinitely more discreet, thus forming a nice friendship.

“How do you know that?” She said in a whisper, her eyes now lining with tears.

“Because the only reason he ran is because he likes you,” Soren said matter-of-factly.

“How does that make any sense?” Elizabeth turned to him with pleading eyes.

“You don’t see it because you didn’t see him like he was before and, admittedly, I didn’t really spend much time with Callum and Rayla, but when they were together, I’d never seen him happier. He’s like that with you, and he’ll continue to be happy with you… it’s jut that this is all hitting really close to home and he needs the flight to sort his mind out. He’s opened up to you more than anyone else… has he told you about the assassins?” Soren asked tentatively.

“No,” she said in a whisper.

“Don’t you want to know,” Soren asked, but she knew that he wasn’t inviting her to that knowledge, merely testing her.

“He’ll tell me when he’s ready, I just want to help him.” She conceded.

“He’ll let you, just keep an ear out for when he arrives back, he’ll need you.” Soren said and turned back towards the lodge, leaving Elizabeth to reminisce on his words. She’d help Callum, no matter the cost.

===

“A few more ingredients and I’ll be able to return to my full form for a little while,” Aaravos informed smugly, not even bothering to look at the two humans.

“And how long will you be able to stay in that form? Long enough to attack the castle?” Claudia asked, knowing it would dam sight near impossible to do it without the help of the archmage.

“Oh I won’t be attacking the castle, my dear, you will,” He smiled in that malicious way he normally did when he was scheming, relishing in the fact that it made two of the, supposedly most powerful, human mages quiver.

“Me?” Claudia gave an exasperated cry.

“Yes, you,”

“She’s powerful, but against a whole kingdom is a suicide mission,” Viren all but pleaded.

“This ritual I will complete, when I get the final ingredient, it means that I can complete it with someone, therein bestowing my abilities to them for a finite time period,” He glanced up at Claudia and knowingly smirked at her, “But fret not, I’ll still be able to crush you as if you were a bug,” He lied easily.

Anyone he did this ritual with would be his equal in every sense of the word and could probably kill him or at least would have the highest chance of any current being now that Avizandum was dead. For that reason alone, Aaravos kept Viren tagging along, though his patience was wearing thin with the man, whose livelihood as well as drive had all but diminished. He needed Claudia on his side, and he would only be able to keep her there long enough to either completely turn her or kill her after he’d come into control of the continent.

“O-okay I’ll do it,” Claudia affirmed.

“It was never a question,” Aaravos said, intentionally making his voice as sweet as honey, not bothering to watch Claudia’s crestfallen face.

“Let’s stay on task,” Viren played middleman and Aaravos knew it was because he was equal parts reliant on them both.

“Hold onto me,” Aaravos gestured and both humans uneasily clung to a different part of him watching in awe as a starry form ghosted across his fingers.

“stella Ianuae Magicae,” He stated, as he wasn’t at full strength, he still had to utter incantations.

They arrived at their intended destination and Aaravos chuckled at the shocked gasps of his companions as they looked at the intimidating and towering statue of Thunder Avizandum, nothing but fear and surprise in their menial gazes.

“Why are we here? Are you mad, they’ll kill us!” Viren exclaimed, clawing at Aaravos’ arms in a mentally deranged manner.

“If you don’t remove your hands from my person in the next second, I’ll kill you and your daughter over and over again until the end of time,” He whispered malevolently in Viren’s ear so only the man could hear him, audibly gulping and backing away.

“Why are we here,” Claudia prompted, much more gently so as to not invoke the elves fury.

“I’m here for his heart,” Aaravos said simply and began walking towards the towering figure.

“Supernatet,” Aaravos uttered as he achieved weightlessness and floated past the outstretched claw of his arch nemesis, smiling hatefully at his frozen body.

“How much I would’ve wanted to kill you myself, old friend. Though I believe it’s both ironic and poetic that you meet your end at a humans hand,” He chuckled and then reached and grabbed the stony heart from inside and removed it in a way that wouldn’t evoke suspicion, but that Queen Zubeia would know it was him.

“Of course, you wouldn’t protect this, you old hag. You don’t trust anyone to protect your mate but you, after that appalling show from your dragon guard of old. But even you must sleep, and it will be your undoing and my power,”

He walked over to where Claudia and Viren were standing with their backs to him, very paranoid that some sort of guard would come round. Perhaps in his haste to mock his fallen nemesis, Aaravos may have overlooked a few things, not that he’d admit that to them.

“Ease yourselves, there are no guards round these parts, but if you must be convinced, I will put up an illusion to counteract sight and sound,” He said and watched as they sighed in relief, Viren more obviously so. “Praetexo,”

Nothing changed, but Aaravos was sure that it had worked. If one looked closely, you could see the faint outline of a shield, due to the fact he wasn’t at full magical capacity. Had he been, he’d have been able to conceal them completely as if they were pieces of grass.

He walked towards the two goblets and smashed the concoctions together; the blood of one of every type of elf, including his own, the head of a soul serpent, a spider’s leg, and finally, the blood from the heart of one’s nemesis. When Avizandum had this curse bestowed upon him, he clearly hadn’t imagined being ever defeated, the over-confident lizard that he was. How his ignorance was about to cost his wife and child dearly.

He crushed the head and spider’s leg in his hand, allowing his eyes to be swallowed by a midnight black colour and took delight in the power that coursed through his body, only stopping to make sure that Claudia was ready, they’d only have a split second to ingest the liquid created.

“Eviver,” Aaravos commanded, watching the heart return to its natural blue colour.

Acting quickly and decisively, he grasped the knife that was hidden in its sheath and stabbed the gargantuan heart over and over again, until liquid was freely pouring from the holes that had been created, lapping up as much as he could into the two chalices and drawing an impossibly complicated rune into the air and watching as the liquid changed into the colour of his skin.

Neither person wasted any time in draining each goblet of its magical content, taking delight in the fact that it tasted rather normal considering it was all blood. But the power could be felt coursing through each being, forcing Claudia to her knees as the power seemed to much for her current state whilst Aaravos merely grunted in pain and closed his eyes.

Claudia clutched at her heart and her eyes widened, not in surprise but in wonderment. Aaravos could tell she had never had such power flow through her before and watched as she grew accustomed to the feeling and her body thankfully adapted and wasn’t overrun with power.

“Oh. My. God.” Was all she could say as she moved her hands around, staring at them and uttering the incantations to the few number of spells she knew, pulling each one off with ease.

“Right?” Aaravos laughed a full and sincere laugh at the humans marvelling at his powers.

“This is you normally?” She questioned.

“Weaker,” he lied, watching her face gape in fear as well as admiration. He had her right where he wanted her.

“Amazing… so what now?” She questioned.

“Have you done your part?” Aaravos turned his attention to Viren.

“Yes, my old acquaintance forwarded my message to an unknown third party, who posed as a traveller and gave just enough details to be believed that he had information. The runt should have arrived in Katolis around now, I should think,” Viren stated.

“Excellent, then you should be off to Katolis as soon as you can, Claudia. It won’t be long until the Lizard Queen comes down from the Spire and notices that we have enacted the spell, though she won’t know that we are in cahoots, merely that I’m free. She will warn the King, but with the power you possess, no one will be able to defeat you.” He said confidently.

“How will I get there?” She queried.

“Teleport to a location with a high vantage point so you can plan your assault, while you are powerful, you may want to utilize a type of army that has been long buried under Katolis castle walls,” He smirked as Claudia caught onto what he was saying.

“And our shadows?” 

“They will be exploited at a later date when they are more necessary,” 

“What will I do?” Viren asked, a little sheepishly.

“You will assist me in getting my full form back, this one will only last me forty eight hours and Claudia’s even less.”

“How will you do that?” Viren asked, disbelieving that it was possible from what he’d been told.

“By breaking myself out of prison,”

===

Callum didn’t know what time it really was by the time he’d arrived back at the lodge, flying through the gentle patter of hail. The cold didn’t bother him amongst his frenzied thoughts of what had occurred. They’d leant into each other and he’d- he’d wanted to kiss her, craved it even. But it had been all too real when she’d been straddling his waist.

Long story short, he’d panicked. The great human primal mage had panicked and run off with his tail between his legs like a coward because… well, because he was scared of liking Elizabeth, the girl that had been the one person he could always speak to, the beautiful girl that had been patient with him and attuned to his feelings and had leant in to him! And he’d flown off because of a Moonshadow elf that had broken his heart three years ago.

Three years she had spent away while, in a month, Elizabeth had nearly succeeded in piecing back together his heart, though a part of him knew that he’d always have a piece missing without Rayla. But what more could he have done? He made his feelings painfully crystal clear and she’d ignored what he’d said and left a letter to explain that she was doing this for love.

Clever way of showing it, Callum thought to himself bitterly. And now he’d shown Elizabeth how broken he was and had probably made her think less of him. As nice as she was, Callum wouldn’t fault her for not wanting anything to do with his problems, perhaps that was why Rayla left and she used her excuse as a means to make Callum feel better.

Trudging through the skylight support beams of the lodge that Rayla had traversed all those years back, Callum finally made his way back to his room and collapsed face first on his bed, only bothering to remove his coat and vest and just about had the effort to put on loose fitting pants and a maroon long sleeve shirt before letting sleep, that he didn’t know was clawing at his mind, take him.

He didn’t know how long it was before he heard a creak at the door, followed by soft footsteps, he wasn’t sure who they were, but he was going to defend himself. Slowly drawing the aspiro spell, Callum readied himself as the figure drew ever closer until he sprang up and was about to say the incantation, until the breath he was building up, dissipated completely.

“R-Rayla?” He nearly dropped into tears right then and there.

“You couldn’t wait could you, Cal,” Rayla replied bitterly.

“What do you mean?” His voice was quiet.

“Couldn’t wait for me, I thought we were in love,” She whispered and looked at him seductively making his heart rate speed up unhealthily.

“Y-you left… you left.” He said more firmly.

She rolled her eyes, “Shut up and kiss me,” he didn’t have a chance to react before she locked her lips with him.

He tried to pull away, but she kept him locked there in a forceful and searing kiss that Callum knew he secretly wanted, as her left hand went slowly closer and closer towards his crown jewels, and he felt himself wanting it, almost urging her on. But where was he right hand-

He felt the eclectic mix of the ice-cold steel and the burning hot pain that lit up his back as he startled back and tried to cry out in pain, but no words came out. He looked up at Rayla, melancholy adorning her features as she removed the blade from his back and sighed heavily.

“I didn’t want to do this Cal, but it’s the moonshadow way for dealing with unfaithful partners,” She stated at Callum’s rasping, writhing body, slowly bleeding out. “Now all I have to do is dispose of your fiancée and I can move on… though I doubt there will ever be someone like you in my life, goodbye you big dumb human,” She kissed his cheek, and Callum felt his voice return.

“Elizabeth!” He jerked upright, sweat stained into the fabric around him, panting heavily and replaying what had just occurred in his mind.

“It was a dream, it was a dream, it was a dream, it was a dream,” Callum wasn’t sure how many times he’d said it, or how when he’d started sobbing, but when he heard the door open, he readied a fulminus strike out of pure fear.

“Callu-, woah, Callum it’s me, it’s Elizabeth, I heard you scream my name. Are you okay?” She asked, gentle as ever.

“E-Elizabeth?” He asked in a quiet whisper.

“Yeah it’s me,” She smiled warmly and sat on the edge of his bed, but as soon as she touched down, Callum brought her into a firm embrace.

“Sorry, just a really bad dream,” he said when he’d finally released her yet couldn’t meet her eyes, not realising hers were laden with worry.

“Do you want to tell me about it?” She ventured gently.

Callum began to shake his head, but then he just sighed and began speaking in a defeated tone. “She came back,”

“Rayla,” Elizabeth guessed.

“Yeah, sh-she came back and said I… that I was unfaithful, and I should have waited for her. She didn’t let me speak and then just kissed me out of nowhere and the worst part was I wanted to, like really wanted to… and then she was getting close to my private area a-and I still didn’t want her to stop, I just sat there like a little boy and let her,” Callum’s shoulders began to shake as he continued. 

“And then she stabbed me in the back! And I couldn’t speak, I couldn’t call out, I was useless… just like I was all those years ago… th-then she said that, because I’d been unfaithful with you, she’d kill you, and-and something just flipped in me, because that’s why I ran way today. It’s because you mean too much to me, you mean much that I’m both terrified that you’ll run away when you see how broken I am or that I’ll just lose you in general. Because it’s a fact I can’t get away from… you’re an integral part of my life now, and I-I wouldn’t have it any other way,” He managed a small smile and his heart fluttered when her own came across her face.

“Callum, you’re not useless, you are heartbroken. And I won’t sit here and left you put yourself down like this. You are kind, humble, generous, loving, to a fault and gods are you handsome,” She smiled.

“Loyal to a fault sounds about right,” He smiled ruefully.

“It’s a compliment Callum. Do you remember when I was crying about Meliodas last week?” He nodded so she continued, “You sat there with me and didn’t say a word while I ranted and cried and ranted some more, for maybe an hour. Yet you managed to calm me with two words… ‘I’m here’. Those words said in the way you did, were enough for me to believe you and… that was the day I knew I wanted more than this arranged marriage could provide and was resolute to wait as much time as you want,” She smiled and his surprised expression quickly changed to one of delight.

“I’m not Rayla, Callum. I’m not going anywhere without talking to you, ever.” She took his hand in the soothing way that he always did to her whenever she was feeling overwhelmed.

“It’s a bit longer than two words, but it works all the same,” He teased lightly, and she thought her cheeks would start to ache if she smiled any further.

“There’s my Callum,” She said, obviously not meaning to as she slapped her hand over her mouth.

“I’m not sure you’d want to know me, if you knew the full me,” He said, eyes downcast and a beaten tone in his voice.

“Only one way to know, and I already know the answer,” She said determinedly.

“You’ll run,” He said, still not meeting her gaze.

She gently lifted his chin to look at her, “I won’t,” She said it with such determination that the words simply tumbled from Callum.

“I’ve killed before, assassins that came to the castle to kill my brother.” He blurted out.

“Oh, well I’m sure you-”

“Let me finish before you say anything?” he asked gently, she nodded motioning for him to continue, “They came to the castle, the assassins, and Ezran, being the generous king that he is, had given over sixty percent of the royal guard leave to go see their families for a prolonged week… t-they attacked with far more assassins than just to strike fear, no. They were out for blood, and we were overrun in the castle, there were… thirty-two of them.” He swallowed as tears began to form in his eyes, Elizabeth giving him a reassuring smiled as she took his hands in hers.

“T-they overran us,” he repeated, “And they had Soren and Ezran at sworpoint, t-toying with their fucking lives! Taunting me and telling me I was going to lose him, my last family member and the man that had come to be my best friend… I snapped.” Tears fell freely from his eyes.

“Snapped?” Elizabeth asked, her tone free of any judgement or malice.

“I killed them all,” He suddenly stopped crying, his face stricken with tears yet suddenly devoid of feelings. “Even the ones that had surrendered, I-I couldn’t stop myself, I just had to protect my brother, I couldn’t, I wouldn’t lose anyone else. I’m a monster.” He said with finality and tried to remove his hands from Elizabeth.

“I don’t see a monster,” Elizabeth said quietly but firmly.

“What?”

I don’t see a monster,” She reaffirmed, “I someone who’s lost so much at such a young age that didn’t want to lose anyone else. You didn’t murder anyone. What did you mean by they had surrendered, were they defenseless?” She asked because she had to know.

“They were fighting with the remaining guards, even though they couldn’t win,” Callum said unsurely.

“That’s not surrendering, inf act you probably saved lives, even though I know you only did it because you were consumed by rage. But you’re not a bad person. Do you kill for fun?” She asked, knowing the answer.

“No, of course not, only when there was no other option” Callum replied immediately. 

“Then you’re not a monster, Callum, you’re human.” She smiled at him, tears welling in her eyes from the raw emotion that she’d been exposed to.

“How can you see something in someone as broken as I am?” He said with his own tears.

“Broken attracts broken, and I think we’re the only remedy for each other,” She cried happy tears with him, “I’m here to pick up the pieces of your heart, and I know you’re here to make me feel loved, because that’s who we are,”

“Thank you,” He sniffled.

“I’ll leave you, goodnight Callum,” She turned to leave but Callum caught her wrist and gave her a half scared and half sheepish look.

“W-won’t you stay?” He asked.

“Of course,” She said, and he smiled, both of them unaware that their hearts had fluttered. But now was the time for security, there would plenty of other time for… other things.

Elizabeth climbed into the bed, her back against Callum’s chest, savouring the feeling of his breaths against her neck and the kiss, that she couldn’t read too much into, he’d left on the back of her neck. When his breathing deepened, and she knew sleep had found him, he turned slowly making sure not to wake him and caressed his hair softly and kissed his cheek.

“You may be able to protect my physically, but I will always protect you emotionally,”

===

“My Queen, I came as soon as you called,” Rayla rushed in to see the queen, seeing her still rather fragile and very scared.

She’d spent the last lunar cycle at the Silvergrove, trying to help out Ethari with whatever he could ever need help with and doing her best to avoid the rest of the village. She wasn’t a coward, she just didn’t need their shit and was perfectly fine by herself, well, she was as well as she could be without a certain integral part of her livelihood.

“A great danger has returned, and I fear that no being will be safe, human nor elf not dragon, from his wrath. We must warn the humans before it is too late, you must fly to Katolis, Pyrrah will take you and warn Ezran.” She said, a little too frantically for Rayla’s liking.

“Who?”

“Do you remember perhaps you parents telling you to do things or a certain mage will hurt you?” Zubeia asked and Rayla nodded, recalling a ridiculous name of a fictional character.

“Aye, Aaravos wasn’t it?” She asked and watched as the name itself caused the great dragon to shudder.

“He’s real and it took four Arch-Dragons to merely imprison him, none so powerful as to kill him completely.” She revealed and Rayla gaped. Arch-dragons were the most powerful beings in existence, how could this be?

“How can that be?”

“I don’t know, but I know we must band together,” She said with finality.

“I understand, your grace, but how will human and elven forces compete against something that Arch-Dragons barely could?” she said rather negatively.

“Your human poses the best chance we have of countering against Aaravos,” 

“My human? Callum?” She nearly shouted.

“There isn’t time to discuss, child. You must leave at once, I beg of you,” Rayla nodded slowly and moved out onto the ‘landing pad’ where Pyrrah was waiting.

She would have preferred to have gotten more information about how Callum was meant to be integral to defeating Aaravos. She wouldn’t doubt that he was a competent and able mage, but Aaravos could take on Arch-Dragons and win. How could anyone, let alone Callum, hope to beat what seemed like such a godly creature.

She didn’t know if she was ready to see him yet, but it seemed that fate would be bringing them together and she’d be lying if she wasn’t a little excited and she knew she’d been pining after the boy for the last three years. She needed to explain why she left and why she could never contact him or return his messages. He’d understand in the end, she hoped, he was good like that, compassionate and sweet and understanding. He was everything she was missing, and she just wanted to be in his arms and feel his lips on her once again. She wondered most hours of day over how he must look now, and she was excited to find out, maybe this wouldn’t be so bad. She sighed.

“I’m coming back Callum?”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Somehow coudnt stop myself from writing so i mashed out this mammoth and it's probably my best ever writing and I love it but please give me feed back as always.
> 
> Yes Rayla is back in Katolis next chapter and the story will have her POV more frequently from here on out.
> 
> Spell notes:  
> PRAETEXO=CONCEAL  
> Supernatet=float  
> stella Ianuae Magicae= star teleport.
> 
> 8000 word chapter and you'll probably never see one like this again, sorry.
> 
> Love all the support this has been getting, probably the best attention I've ever seen given to one of my fics and I'm so grateful :]
> 
> Next Up: Aaravos and Viren go hunting and everyone else meets in Katolis in unfavourable circumstances


	5. You Don't Know What I'm Capable of Anymore

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “Who is that Ezran,” Rayla asked quietly.
> 
> “C-Callum’s fiancé, Elizabeth…” He said looking at her with worried eyes.
> 
> Rayla’s heart stopped.

“My Queen, I came as soon as you called,” Rayla rushed in to see the queen, seeing her still rather fragile and very scared.

She’d spent the last lunar cycle at the Silvergrove, trying to help out Ethari with whatever he could ever need help with and doing her best to avoid the rest of the village. She wasn’t a coward, she just didn’t need their shit and was perfectly fine by herself, well, she was as well as she could be without a certain integral part of her livelihood.

“A great danger has returned, and I fear that no being will be safe, human nor elf nor dragon, from his wrath. We must warn the humans before it is too late, you must fly to Katolis, Pyrrah will take you and warn Ezran.” She said, a little too frantically for Rayla’s liking.

“Who?”

“Do you remember perhaps your parents telling you to do things or a certain mage will hurt you?” Zubeia asked and Rayla nodded, recalling the ridiculous name of a fictional character.

“Aye, Aaravos wasn’t it?” She asked and watched as the name itself caused the great dragon to shudder.

“He’s real and it took four Arch-Dragons to merely imprison him, none so powerful as to kill him completely.” She revealed and Rayla gaped. Arch-dragons were the most powerful beings in existence, how could this be?

“How can that be?”

“I don’t know, but I know we must band together,” She said with finality.

“I understand, your grace, but how will human and elven forces compete against something that Arch-Dragons barely could?” she said rather negatively.

“Your human poses the best chance we have of countering against Aaravos,”

“My human? Callum?” She nearly shouted.

“There isn’t time to discuss, child. You must leave at once, I beg of you,” Rayla nodded slowly and moved out onto the ‘landing pad’ where Pyrrah was waiting.

She would have preferred to have gotten more information about how Callum was meant to be integral to defeating Aaravos. She wouldn’t doubt that he was a competent and able mage, but Aaravos could take on Arch-Dragons and win. How could anyone, let alone Callum, hope to beat what seemed like such a godly creature.

She didn’t know if she was ready to see him yet, but it seemed that fate would be bringing them together and she’d be lying if she wasn’t a little excited and she knew she’d been pining after the boy for the last three years. She needed to explain why she left and why she could never contact him or return his messages. He’d understand in the end, she hoped, he was good like that, compassionate and sweet and understanding. He was everything she was missing, and she just wanted to be in his arms and feel his lips on her once again. She wondered most hours of the day over how he must look now, and she was excited to find out, maybe this wouldn’t be so bad. She sighed.

“I’m coming back, Callum.”

Winds rushing past did nothing to relieve her stress or benefit her attempts to get some sleep, not that she thought she would have been able to under normal circumstances anyway. But it seemed that the winds were an ever-present reminder that she was about to see her, Callum, her sky mage after all this time basically hiding from him. Could she even look into his emerald eyes, would they hold the same warmth for her that they did before?

The full guilt of what she’d actually done hit her square in the chest, right where her life force was beating a mile a minute. She’d abandoned the one she loved with all of her, really left him in the lurch in the middle of the night where he had no hope of stopping her. But he couldn’t understand why she went, not as she meant it.

Of course, she never wanted to hurt him, and she realised that love is a two-way street, and she should have communicated to him, but, how could she? He didn’t understand properly how much she had lost, the unknowing over what had happened to her parents. In that regard, she was no closer to knowing what happened to them beyond Viren’s vile and vague taunts, than she’d been when she left Callum three years ago.

He was her rock, the reason she hadn’t gone completely insane, the one that had meant she’d seen her mission through to the end and, although it was under official and dire circumstances, she hoped he’d at least give her a chance to explain why she’d gone off and why she hadn’t replied to his shadow hawks.

She knew that if she replied and sent it, she would follow it all the way home into Callum’s arms and beg his forgiveness right there and then. It was selfish and cruel of her, but she didn’t want to be and, moreover, it tore her heart wide open to lie and deceive him and her heart ached for his touch and kisses once more, she couldn’t help but wonder what he’d look like after three years.

Tears welled up her eyes at all those happy thoughts because they weren’t justified, he would hate her and would never forgive her. But she knew he was alive and that, perhaps, was almost enough for her. Almost.

Could she really live with Callum hating her, but alive and kicking? She knew she’d have a hard time trying to get over the human and an even harder time trying to forget him, he was an integral part of her and she hoped that he could find somewhere left in his heart to forgive her and let her back into his life, even though it was her that had left.

And what if he’d moved on and found other love? Then she’d have her own answer because she wasn’t sure whether her mind or heart could take seeing him with another woman when it would be her fault when she could have prevented it by showing how much she loved him.

Perhaps a subconscious part of her believed she would always have to protect him like she had when they were travelling. He was a mage, but he wasn’t a trained warrior, thus, he was vulnerable, and she couldn’t watch him hurt himself when she could do it herself. And she had.

Maybe the same part also worried why Callum was the one that was needed to defeat a fabled and universally feared Archmage that could slay Arch-Dragons and couldn’t even be killed by the same legendary beasts. How would he not die? How would anyone be safe? She wasn’t sure she wanted answers to any of her questions, only hoping that she could answer his in time.

Katolis castle peaked over the horizon and Pyrrah narrowed her eyes and began flapping her winds harder, nearly sending Rayla careening off the back. She seemed really amped up to deliver Rayla and the message, maybe due to the fact that they were being sent by royal decree, or because Queen Zubeia seemed so frightened.

They reached the castle walls where it had begun, all those years ago, to shouts of fear and trepidation from guards and castle staff alike. Hopefully, they were somewhat aware of who she was and that their arrival was royally mandated from the Queen. Thankfully, they seemed to ease off their tense posteriors as a woman shouted orders and chastised the whole group.  _ That’s the Opeli I remember, _ she smiled to herself.

“You are not to fire, do you understand. This is a sanctioned visit, signed by the Queen’s seal and claw!” She shouted at a scared-looking guard with a crossbow, slapping the back of his head for good measure, eliciting a laugh from Rayla as she touched down.

The smile and laughter quickly fell as the intimidating woman made eye contact with her, a cold look in her eye flashing for a millisecond before it returned to her natural meeting face. Rayla squirmed under the intense gaze, wishing that she had something, anything, that she could do so she didn’t have to take the brunt of Opeli’s anger and chastising.

“Lady Rayla,” Opeli said, her practised voice not giving away how she was feeling.

“Please, there is no need for formalities,” Rayla tried to smile, but Opeli didn’t flinch.

“It’s more than you deserve, follow me,” She said and turned swiftly, not waiting for any reply or any facial expression.

Rayla felt her heart drop at the cruel words from Opeli, sure they’d never gotten on really as friends in the past, but she’d spoken to Rayla as if she’d murdered her King! Oh… maybe not the best analogy, but the principle was the same, did she really deserve that hostility. Would Callum be worse?

She all but sprinted after the councilwoman, astounded by how quickly and how far the woman had walked in only ten seconds. She caught up after a while and began fussing over her hair, frizzy from the flight over and made her traditional Moonshadow assassin’s gear look more appealing. Opeli noticed this and seemed to smirk and scowl all at the same time.

“Did I do something wrong to you?” Rayla said in typical Moonshadow defensive style, mentally slapping herself for her tone.

“Interesting that you don’t already know that answer,” Opeli retorted calmly.

“That’s between me and Callum, no one else. We’ll talk soon,” She said though she hoped it didn’t sound as uncertain as it did in her head.

“I don’t doubt it,” Opeli replied in the same manner and Rayla had to mentally check herself from groaning out loud, but kept her mouth shut as they walked to what she vaguely remembered was the King’s throne room.

The guards instantly stood straighter as Opeli came into view as well as giving sceptical looks at Rayla mixed with… fear? The war had been over for three years, yet she wasn’t so naïve to believe that there wasn’t a ubiquitous air of bigotry and racism. Some people couldn’t forgive and forget after so much fighting, the Silvergrove was a testament to that.

The hefty doors opened, jarring her from her thoughts as she took in the old, yet grand, room. Not a thing was out of place from when she had last been there, a happier time that was threatening to make her emotions fly out of check. The doors opened sturdily, creaking in a way that was foreshadowing the worst outcome. What would say to Ezran? More to the anxious point, what would she say to Callum?

She wondered if he’d changed at all in this past year, wondered whether he looked the same as adorable dork she loved when she left all those years ago, still loves. She can’t imagine an extended future without Callum involved. Sure, she’d left when she possibly shouldn’t have and she was returning only to warn them about the threat of Aaravos, but she still wanted to clear the air with Callum. She wanted to show that she loves him still and never stopped, begging whichever God was out there that he was still her Callum and they could have a chance at a future.

“You would have if you didn’t leave,” Opeli read her thoughts, thoroughly confusing Rayla.

“H-how?” Rayla chastised herself for stuttering.

Opeli merely rolled her eyes and bowed to King Ezran who was…  _ taller than her! _ Unbelievable, it had only been three years and Ezran had now outgrown her and she didn’t really know how to feel about the cuddly child and having to look up to him, though she smiled widely at him and started walking forward until she saw his surprised expression that quickly changed to mirth.

“Rayla!” He said ecstatically, before engulfing her a bear hug that almost matched that of Amaya’s. “It’s been too long,”

“It has,” She agreed, “And look at you, you’re a man now and I don’t know how to deal with it, you’ve changed so much,” She laughed and Ezran joined in.

“I think we’ve all changed really, especially Zym, but that’s a story for another time. What brings you here after…” Ezran searched for the politically correct words.

“Left without a goodbye,” Opeli interjected, her face like stone.

“Yes… thank you Opeli,” Ezran rubbed his neck in the same way that Callum always did and something in her heart yearned to see her mage once more.

“Ezran, I can’t even begin to tell you how sorry I am, but it felt right for me to go… and you know your big dumb brother, he would’ve followed me possibly to his death, I mean, he jumped off the storm spire for Garlath’s sake! I-I couldn’t have that, and I need to apologise to you too for leaving.” Rayla paused, a little surprised at her outpour of emotions.

“Rayla,” Ezran began, “I understand why you thought you had to leave, and I agree with the mentality of keeping my idiotic brother. The notion was correct but, by going about it in the manner in which you did, you broke his heart… if I’m honest I don’t think it will ever be whole, regardless of you. He trusts no one, not even me, so while I understand and accept your apology, it isn’t really my forgiveness you need to ask.”

Rayla nodded, she couldn’t find anything else to say, not even to ask where Callum was as she wasn’t sure she was even ready to face him in the manner that Ezran had described. Callum was the most trusting and kind being she had ever met and to think that he trusted no one made her both fill with guilt and sadness. But she had to warn the, first.

“Ezran…” She tried.

“I know all about the issue that Queen Zubeia is talking about, she told me herself, through Zym,” Ezran smiled. “You should at least stay here, Zubeia asked me to ask if you would stay here as both a Royal Ambassador, advisor and guard, the choice is yours.”

“I’m not running this time,” Rayla said stoically, not noticing Opeli’s nod and smile of approval to Ezran.

“Ezran… where is Call-” Rayla began but was cut off by an explosion that shook the entire castle.

“The courtyard, now!” Opeli almost shouted at both the adolescents.

They ran down the huge flights of stairs in what seemed like record time, seemingly joined by the platoons of troops that had been awakened deep in the night by the shattering noise, each armed with bows, spears and swords.

The Crownguard, with the exception of Soren who was still yet to be seen by Rayla, flanked Ezran and Opeli and pushing her slightly out of the fray which was to be expected. Another earth-shattering shake was felt, reverberating around the castle and causing a handful of guards to go tumbling down the stairs, luckily remaining uninjured.

Rayla and Ezran gasped as they ran outside and took in the surroundings that encircled them. Entire towers were on fire, men, women and children were all screaming, buildings were encapsulated in flames and smoke and on the main bridge, the one Rayla had chased Callum along all those years ago, stood… something inhuman. The raw power radiating from them frightened Rayla, it was one she only had heard stories about from Runaan and Ethari.

“Men help the civilians, we need to push this force back,” Ezran instructed as the soldiers leapt into action, grabbing buckets of water and attempting to tame the fires with a decent amount of success.

That was until a shout was heard from the figure of “Noctu Igne!” And a flame descended onto the men that were attempting to battle with the fire, killing everyone on impact as a few unlucky souls ran around with the excruciating pain on their backs and it fell to the archers to put them out of their misery.

“Man the ballista’s!” Ezran shouted.

“I think not!” The figure shouted as they descended, seemingly floating on nothing.

“Who are you and what do you want,” Opeli tried to reason.

“Firstly, to kill little Ezran, but I’ll settle for the elven whore.” She smiled cruelly.

Ezran gasped, “C-Claudia? What happened to you?”

“What happened to me? Why, I’m more powerful than ever before, and I’m here to kill you,” Claudia smiled malevolently.

“Why?” Ezran asked, buying time for the soldiers to get people out of the area.

“Because you tried to kill my father, and because I want to hurt that useless step-brother of yours.”

“You stay away from Callum,” Rayla snarled.

“I’m not sure you are in any position to talk, bitch. You’re the one who tried to kill my father twice, he’s just the idiot who chose you over me. He chose an elf over his own kind, and the punishment is death via abandonment. I wonder how many other people he can stand to lose before he cracks, I heard he’s already cracked before,” She laughed evilly to herself.

“Enough,” Rayla sprinted forward, butterfly swords in hand.

She was stopped almost as soon as she started running when ice enrapt her whole lower half, leaving her exposed. She immediately clawing at the ice with her swords as another fireball was sent towards the last ballista, rendering the castle essentially defenceless to Claudia’s surprising array of powerful magic.

“Now you’re going to die,” Claudia smiled, but was immediately surrounded by foot soldiers and archers.

“Give up Claudia, we have you surrounded. There doesn’t have to be any more bloodshed today.” Ezran called out to her.

Claudia started laughing, a long hysterical and, frankly, an unnerving laugh that caused a shiver to go up Rayla’s spine as she began frantically attempting to dislodge herself from the ice she seemed to be constantly caught.

“I may be surrounded, but you’re outnumbered” Her smile dropped as she uttered something intelligible and the castle walls began to shake.

Gasps and shouts were heard as soldiers atop the battlements screamed and were thrown off by… the undead. Tens of hundreds of skeletons stood at the gates of Katolis castle as well as on the battlements, they were well and truly in trouble.

“Attack!” Claudia called up as she floated back up to the safety of the battlement after uttering an incantation.

Rayla finally managed to break free, but her respite was short-lived as she was instantly assaulted by four skeletons, each swinging at her with lumbered movements. They were not strong nor fast, but they easily outnumbered them ten to one and Rayla was beginning to struggle.

She flipped and slashed and kicked, breaking shaws and bones as more and more skeletons seemed to be dispatching soldiers until there were fifty remaining soldiers surrounding Rayla, Opeli and Ezran being surrounded by too many skeletons to count. Rayla and the crown guard kept the soldiers at bay from Ezran who also swung his sword with decent accuracy.

“Enough!” Claudia shouted and the skeletons backed off. She stood floating above them. “You have all fought bravely, but I am growing tired and I want to kill you all,” She smiled jovially.

“Claudia wait! You don’t have to do this, you don’t have to listen to him, you’re your own person,” Ezran tried to reason but was falling upon deaf ears.

“I know… Noctu Igne!” She called.

As the fireball descended, time seemed to stand still for Rayla. This was going to be the end for her at the hands of Claudia, whilst there was something bigger at play, something that she needed to be alive for to stop from happening… but she couldn’t, this was the end. And she hadn’t even been able to hold Callum one last time and tell him how much he means to her and how sorry she was and to make up with him. She wouldn’t be able to enact the future she craved with him, she longed to kiss him just one last time, but she’d never get the chance. She closed her eyes and awaited her death as the fireball descended.

“FULMINIS!” A call rang out and a lightning bolt bigger than Rayla had ever seen at the Storm Spire, struck the fireball and destroyed it.

A figure dropped out the sky and landed protectively in front of the group, wings spread intimidatingly, had he had horns, Rayla would have thought Callum was a skywing elf with everything he was wearing and his facial marking that made his strong jawline and cheekbones even more attractive.

“Are you okay Ez?” He asked, never taking his eyes off of Claudia.

“All good now,” Ezran said, clearly shaken that he had nearly died.

“Claudia stop this,” A voice called out that Rayla recognised, belonging to Soren.

He descended from a black mare, a girl behind him that Rayla had never seen. She’d have to find out the nature of her relationship with Soren when things weren’t so complicated. They both dismounted from the horse and began walking slowly towards the group, the girl coming to a stop directly next to Callum, something Rayla was confused by.

“Sor-bear? Is that you?” Claudia’s malicious demeanour faded for a second before it recovered, “Why are you still protecting that little shit from our family when he’s made it a hell for us.” Claudia spat.

“Claudia, stop, please.” Soren tried.

“Soren, this is for the greater good.”

“Claudia, I’ll give you one chance to leave, but if you threaten my family again you will be met with the required resistance. Do you understand?” Callum’s calm façade was betrayed by the hard clenching of his fists.

“Who’s going to do that, you? You’ve always been a fuckup, Cal now is not any different. So, you can fly, big deal, all that did was allow you to save an elf that abandoned you anyway. Honestly, it’s the least you deserve for fraternizing with the enemy,” Claudia concluded.

“The war is over, there are no more enemies, there isn’t a reason to prolong this incessant violence that has taken so much,” The girl next to Callum took a step forward and Rayla got a look at all of her beautiful features and it made a pang of jealousy flare up… no, Callum would have waited for her, they love each other.

“A shame that such foul statements are spewed from such a pretty mouth, it will be a shame to burn your peaceful sentiments right off your face!” Claudia said cruelly and everyone backed up a pace, all bar Callum.

“Cal?” The girl said, but Callum was staring dead into Claudia’s soul.

“Get behind me, I’ll sort this,” Callum said, and the girl backed up next to Ezran and gave him a hug, not bearing to watch.

“Callum you can’t do this,” Rayla didn’t want to lose Callum before she could start to mend what she’d broken. “Please don’t,”

“You don’t know what I’m capable of anymore,” Callum said coldly, and it cut into Rayla’s mind, the darkness within.

“ _ Forma Tempestas,” _ Callum stated as his eyes began to glow, and his feet slowly lifted off the ground as he began to trace so quickly and with so many layers that Rayla was getting dizzy watching it all. He continued chanting the incantation as he floated higher and higher in the air everyone, including Claudia, watched in awe as he reached a cloud line that hadn’t been there before.

Lighting whipped the ground where the skeletons were standing, vaporising them instantly. Callum descended back down towards the ground; his shirt torn to shreds as the numerous tattoos on his back were glowing in addition to his facial markings. Electricity was lightly zapping around him as he breathed heavily.

“You that cute cloud trick will be enough? I have the power of Aaravos embedded inside me: you will die.” Claudia began and Callum knew he would have to use all his power to repel this attack.

_ “crimen tonitrua,”  _ Callum shouted as Claudia began drawing her rune to the only sun spell that she knew.

A huge bolt of lightning struck Callum while he was floating, causing him to scream out in agony, the power running through him having been stronger than anything his body had ever been subjected to, his marking was now their own mini bolts of lightning.

“ _ Noctu Igne!” _ Claudia put all her power behind it, casting some dark magic with it as it began to glow purple.

_ “Muri fictilis”  _ A brick wall formed in front of the group as Callum finished drawing the Earth run, shocking Rayla deeply. He quickly began drawing another rune and uttered the incantation, “ _ Fulgar Undam!”  _ The dark and light blue spells merged together as two sets of runes began glowing.

Suddenly, water from all around formed a wave as quick as a flash and, in tandem with the wall being broken by Claudia’s fireball, the wave was electrified and surged forward, breaking through the majority of the dark magic fireball and then narrowing to form an electrified water arrow. It flew true to its target and struck Claudia on the right side of her face, causing her to scream out.

“AHHHH! YOU BASTARD, I’LL FUCKING KILL YOU… MY FACE!” She continued to cry out as she seemingly vanished from thin air.

Everyone began cheering until Callum’s body flew backwards towards the ground, with Rayla sprinting to intercept it so he wouldn’t bash his head against the ground and injure himself more. It seemed that something purple was emanating from his chest, Dark Magic, Rayla thought and sprinted even faster, Callum would need a healer immediately.

But she was too late, the girl from before had already positioned herself and caught Callum and was laying him on the ground his head in her lap, causing her heart to ache once more. The girl began crying and whispering and hitting Callum’s chest as the mage was unresponsive. Rayla’s tears also began to form, just as she believed she had well and truly lost him, an idea popped into her head.

“Get him to water,” Rayla said in unison with the other girl.

No one questioned as they rushed him towards the water, and he began to glow with him inside, his burns subsiding slightly, revealing a huge array of scars that caused Rayla to gasp. The other began crying again.

“Why don’t you let me in Cal, let me help you. Please stop hurting yourself,” She cried quietly as Ezran and Opeli put a hand on her shoulder, Rayla had never felt more out of the loop.

“I did g-give her a w-warning,” Callum said weakly and began to smile with effort and everyone cheered.

“Idiot! When are you going to stop scaring me like that!” The girl said hugging Callum as if she would lose him.

“When you m-” Callum fell asleep, but Rayla could have sworn she knew what he was about to say.

“Who is that Ezran,” Rayla asked quietly.

“C-Callum’s fiancé, Elizabeth…” He said looking at her with worried eyes.

Rayla’s heart stopped.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Forma Tempestas- Storm Formation  
> Crimen tonitrua- Thunder charge  
> Noctu Igne- Night Fire  
> Muri Fictilis- Brick Wall  
> Fulgar Undam- Lightning wave
> 
> I know I've been away, but it felt right to and now it feels right to be back.  
> I feel like Callum's emotions will power his spells and he'll become powerful enough to conjure a storm by himself as well as use it to charge himself.
> 
> Claudia doesnt know how to harness Aaravos' power, therefore she couldnt beat Callum when he was at his most powerful.
> 
> Rayla's had a shock and a nightmare all in one! I'll be having fun with this.
> 
> Next Up: A fear talk, A girls talk and a needed talk


	6. You Broke Me

“Salaria, I’m most disappointed in you, what would your grandmother have to say about you and how weak you are,” Aaravos let up his choking to allow the Tidebound girl to have a deep breath of air, only to close his grip on her halfway through.

“Y-you’ll n-n-never get away with this,” She gasped out clawing at Aaravos’ hands but, at full strength, he was virtually unstoppable.

Aaravos let out a deep and frightening laugh at the girl’s words, she was stronger than he thought she’d be, but he never would have to admit that. “And who’s going to stop me?”

“H-h-human,” She gasped out, Aaravos was intrigued.

“ _ radix ligat,”  _ He said as tight roots came out of the marshland, binding the girl painfully in place as she groaned and caught her breath. “Speak,”

“Wow, the mighty Aaravos, destroyer of dragons, slayer of anyone who dares cross him… is scared,” The girl laughed, but Aaravos kept his cool.

“I believe the word is… enthralled, how could a bigoted elf such as someone with your families lineage possibly think a human capable of defeating me?” He laughed it off.

“He’s no ordinary human, in fact, he’s a primal mage, barely a man and already more powerful than most mages will ever be. You best try and find him first, because I hear he doesn’t settle for mercy these days,” She grinned, blood smearing her face.

“Well then, you’re going to send a message to him from me, after I take some blood from you,” Aaravos smirked, “Tell him that he should enjoy life as it comes to him because, should he cross me, it will come to a gruesome end.”

“F-Fuck you,” Salaria ground out through the pain.

“Everyone wants to these days,” He laughed and began chanting his incantation using dark magic.

“How could you use that abomination?”

“In fact, a picture paints a thousand words, does it not,” Salaria’s eyes widened before she let fly a bloodcurdling scream that abruptly stopped.

Aaravos laughed as he looked at her life force in his jar combined with the other four and smiled to himself. It had all gone so easily acquiring them all, maybe he’d just forgotten how powerful he’d been after a century using menial spells and magic, or maybe these grandchildren should have paid better attention to ‘The Great Ones’ when they were being taught.

His old ‘acquaintances’ had all but leapt at the chance to imprison him behind the magic mirror and had obviously tried to bestow the threat that Aaravos possess down to their insolent children and their children in tow. ‘How quaint’ Aaravos thought to himself, he would’ve expected nothing else but mediocrity from them, after all, he was the only one that could control each arcana as well… something else.

Now it seemed almost fitting that their descendants would free his true power from the mirror he was incarcerated behind. Maybe it was ironic that he was being freed by the species they all deemed as ‘lesser beings’ the species that Aaravos knew to be the same as the elves just with a less ‘moral’ access to magic.

He was asked once, before his ‘fall’, whether he thought that the humans were lesser beings. He was asked this by Luna Tenebris herself, and he answered with a cold stare and gleam in his starry eyes.

_ “I believe you all to be lesser beings than me,” _ He recalled saying all those years ago and discarding nearly all of the dragons there, the elves cowering like school children. He’d discarded from his memory a young Avizandum that had hit one of the luckiest shots he’d ever seen, something he’d not meant to do. From that day on, Aaravos had sworn his revenge on Avizandum, but now he couldn’t, he’d settle for the runt.

Aaravos walked past the strewn bodies filled with pools of blood of the guards that had feebly tried to stop him, watching as Viren finished an incantation for a spell that Aaravos recognised as one to increase strength as well as restore his charred face to how it once looked.

“Get everything you needed?” Viren cordially asked, looking much brighter.

“Yes, I’m now ready,” Aaravos smiled.

A scream shook the two from their conversation, sending Xadian birds flying all over the place, peaking the Archmage’s intrigue. He thought he’d diminished all life in the surrounding area, but quickly readied himself for further altercations, not that they’d be a cause for concern, more like a grating inconvenience that he’d have to waste his time dealing with.

He approached calmly, walking with determination and a gait that demanded respect and somehow could strike fear. With Viren in tow, they broke into the clearing to see a body crying out and seemingly writhing in agony and clutching at their face. Viren seemed to halt his stride and approach more slowly, Aaravos merely laughed internally as he walked forward to inspect what had undergone.

As he walked closer, Aaravos could hear the tears and grimaces that were falling from what he deemed to be a human girl and not any human girl at that. He looked on with unseen compassion for the human girl that was clutching at her face. Though he didn’t really like her father due to his levels of demand becoming greater than what he was able to supply, he did see Claudia as his pupil, the first one since…

He shook himself from that thought and approached Claudia very slowly, not wanting to trigger an emotional reaction whilst she still had his powers, though they’d be running on fumes, she could still gravely injure him with enough emotion.

“Claudia?” Viren asked and rushed towards his daughter, Aaravos not having the time to warn the dark mage that he could be taking his last steps.

On the contrary, Claudia's tears seemed to subside as she rested her head gently on her father’s chest in an instance that even Aaravos would find touching if he cared that was. He merely needed Viren because he needed Claudia, and he needed to find out what had happened to her.

“Claudia, what happened to you?” Viren fussed as if he’d read Aaravos’ mind, gently pulling her head away from his chest. He gasped and Aaravos allowed his eyes to widen only for half a second.

Half of Claudia’s face was burnt, almost akin to melting, he raven-white locks half discarded near the edges of the side that was burnt, the skin so sensitive it seemed to hurt the mage even when she was crying, and her response seemed to almost cause her to pass out.

“C-c-Callum” She ground out before Aaravos picked her up and began carrying her towards the sacred pond the tidebound settlement kept at then, leaving a bamboozled Viren staring at the floor at the words she’d just uttered.

“It can’t be… the royal mongrel taking up dark magic after showing so much adversity to it and being raised by Sarai to despise it,” Aaravos was sure that Viren would have been smirking had he not been so concerned for his daughter.

Claudia began shaking her head violently, “No. Magic. Real magic.” They were her last words before passing out.

“Claudia!” Viren surged forward to catch her, but Aaravos beat him to it, outlining a simple levitation rune, not needing to say the trigger word.

“Interesting,” Aaravos said to himself as he examined the unconscious form of and began walking alongside it’s floating form towards the heart of the village, where a scared pond was.

Aaravos gently laid the sensitive form of Claudia until she was floating in the water, her face just breaking the water's surface. Aaravos put one hand in the water and thought deeply about what he wanted, calming thoughts, water flowing, playing with his wife. He smiled as a tear fell from his eye, unbeknownst to Viren, upon entering the water, the tear began glowing and spreading throughout the liquid, engulfing Claudia’s stationary form.

Viren was about to contest when Aaravos placed his hand out without facing the mage and stopped his protests before they began. Claudia slowly emerged; her burns placated yet still visible. They would scar, but Aaravos could use that, the rage it would cause Claudia, the fear she could indite with the scars that would be left. Yes, Aaravos could use that, manipulate her.

Though he was intrigued, to say the least at what type of elf could’ve done this to someone with Aaravos’ power. He was sure that he had destroyed the most powerful elves of the generation in the past couple of days, the final being Salaria. Though he must admit, he did want a challenge, his confidence allowed him to believe that it was Claudia’s inexperience.

He called upon the power of the stars as he moved toward Claudia’s slumbering and healing form, placing two hands on either temple, closing his eyes. He ignored the sceptical look he received from Viren as he opened his eyes, consumed with stars themselves as he searched Claudia’s memories for what had occurred.

She found several memories with her brother, find memories that she cherished more than most, that would be a problem that he would deal with when it came to that. He searched a few more memories; when she first learnt dark magic, a sputtering chestnut-haired boy hopelessly flirting with her and a girl she was within secret, he could use that to his advantage.

Ah, there. He entered what her mind had unconsciously labelled as her most painful experience. As he entered from her point of view, he saw the little king with the Moon-Shadow elf that had been the source of the most numerous pains in his backside over the past three years, the one that had killed Viren. Claudia was using her powers to their fullest extent, better than Aaravos could have ever predicted, she was pushing the forces back and was doing it all by herself.

As the fireball descended upon the group, Aaravos’s breath was nearly taken from him when he saw the magnitude of the lightning bolt that had been deployed to intercept it. And again, when he saw it was the seemingly hopeless chestnut boy from Claudia’s memories, standing clad in sky-wing attire, facial marking intimidating. How had he created such a large lightning bolt so far from the Sky Nexus so effortlessly? Aaravos would never admit aloud, but it would take a greater toll on him to create such a large lightning bolt so far from the storm spire.

And it kept getting more impressive, the young man forming a literal storm above his head in which to supercharge his powers, something that Aaravos had only thought of in theory, never putting it into practice. His jaw nearly dropped clean open when he saw the boy use the Earth arcanum to block Claudia’s attack and then combine arcana to attack.

He’d only ever performed the feat once to defeat the dragons and it had drained him so considerably that he had been captured in the end. Yet this boy, no, this  _ Human  _ boy, was able to combine it and defeat someone suing his power. Aaravos found himself feeling something that he had not in a very long time.

Fear.

===

Rayla still hadn’t computed the words that Ezran had uttered to her the previous evening. She’d been attacked, bruised, beaten and thrown from the literal Storm Spire, yet nothing had ever cut so deep as hearing those words.

She had no right to be upset, no right to be angry, upset or even frustrated, she had brought this upon herself.

It was HER that had left,

It was HER that didn’t reply to his messages,

It was HER that HE had waited so long for.

But she hadn’t gone, she’d stayed with Ethari, constantly putting off going to see him, not wanting to see the exact thing that had happened when she finally decided to go. To make matters worse, she was forced to go see him, it wasn’t even by choice. He’d moved on just like she’d always convinced herself was better for him.

Tears and sobs broke out as she stared across the human lands from her balcony… it may have been better for him, but what could she do? She’d spent every waking and sleeping moment thinking about running back to Callum’s open arms and begging his forgiveness, apologising for everything. It’d be tough but they’d get through it and they’d live a happy life and maybe even getting a couple troublemakers, small horns and five fingers, she didn’t really know the logistics of half-blood children.

But now, now it was over, he had a fiancée, and she clearly loves him, but did he love her? Was he forced to do this, to bring peace to the human lands? Knowing the righteous and kind person Callum always was, he’d have offered himself up for peace if he thought she wouldn’t go back. Oh, how she longed that he had waited a little longer, it was selfish, but she needed him, and she was sure their connection was strong enough to go through with this.

She stormed into Ezran’s office, not bothering to stop when the guard said Ezran did not want to be disturbed. The young king looked up, yet his face showed that he had been expecting her to come to him. Rayla was not one for small talk, so she dived right in.

“FIANCÉE?” Rayla asked incredulously.

“Yes, they are to be married,” Ezran explained, calmy.

“I know what fiancée means, why did ya let him?” Rayla asked, maybe slightly more angrily than she had intended.

“Because there was no alternative in his mind,” Ezran’s political correctness astounded Rayla. But she knew what he was saying, ‘you weren’t there’.

“But ya are the king! I-I was gonna come back.” Even to Rayla her excuses and reasoning sounded weak.

Ezran sighed deeply, “Were you?” He asked rhetorically, “Because, correct me if I’m wrong, but you came here because you had to warn us about a terrible disaster set to befall the whole continent, and that my brother was the one to call on. Otherwise, you’d still be with Ethari,”

At her startled expression, Ezran explained, “We’re quite the pair of pen pals thus far,” He smiled for a second then his face softened. “Look, Rayla, he will always love you… but you broke him. He barely ate, barely slept, barely did anything bar fly out for miles upon miles of expanse and cry for you, cry about why another person in his life had left him. The only thing that saved him was magic because he thought he was too weak to go with you, that you thought he’d be a burden and, Nexus forbid, he thought you’d fallen out of love with him. Yet he still pined for you, month after month, year after year, waiting for you to come back and slowly losing himself to his darkness and his magic,” Ezran swallowed, “He scared me sometimes, the darkness within him was becoming too much, only finding release with ale and drugs… until he met Elizabeth,”

“H-his fiancée?” Rayla cursed herself for her voice faltering momentarily.

“Yes, the princess of Evenere, but she’s more, she’s his friend. It was entirely political for Callum, at first, because he needed a way away from tearing the pieces of his heart apart, knowing that he’d be saving countless from their assassination attempts,” Rayla’s eyes widened.

“Assassination attempts?”

“All the time,”

“Were you okay?” Rayla cursed herself for not being there to protect the boys.

“Callum protected me every time… sometimes too well,” Rayla stared at him, not knowing what that meant, “That’s for you and him to talk about,”

“I know… where is he?” She didn’t know when her voice had grown so quiet.

“West wing, in his bedroom… Elizabeth will likely be with him, he might not be awake though.” Rayla nodded and began to leave. “And Rayla,” She turned, “It’s good to have you back,” Rayla allowed herself her first proper smile as she turned and went in search of her biggest wish and nightmare.

===

Elizabeth had long stopped crying as she sat with an unconscious Callum, his head in her lap, but the sadness was rife within her. Not only had Callum nearly died, but she could also sense, see and feel his heartache when he saw Rayla.

She could see the pain behind his eyes because, even when every other body part could lie, his eyes always held the truth behind his feelings. And, while she trusted Callum with more than her life, she couldn’t help but feel inferior to Rayla. She was his first love, the one that he still loved even after everything, the one that he wasn’t bound to be with because of an arrangement.

She was only human, of course, she would feel apprehensive, Callum had been nothing short of a gentleman and a friend to her, but was that because he was forcing his feelings to make the most out of the situation? Would it all change because Rayla had returned? She’d decided that, if he really wanted to be with Rayla, she would not stop him. She cared too much for him to be anything less than happy.

She just longed that he’d realise that she cared for him, cherished the hypothetical feeling that he’d developed feelings for her as well. She wasn’t so naïve to believe that Callum wouldn’t still love Rayla, but it was like he’d said: that didn’t mean there wasn’t room for anyone else, and she was determined to show him that she’d never leave him, to know that neither of them needed each other, but rather wanted each other.

A knock at the door startled her from her thoughts and, upon seeing it the subject of Elizabeth’s mental shortcomings, she felt self-conscious and wiped at her tear-stained eyes and was sure that the young elf had seen as much but was grateful that she chose not to comment or pry.

“Oh, should I come back later?” She was more awkward than Elizabeth would have perceived Xadia’s hero to be though, in fairness, it wasn’t the best situation for her to come back to in the least.

“He’ll wake soon, but you can stay if you’d like,” Elizabeth smiled and saw that Rayla had been taken aback by the kindness. “I’m Elizabeth, from Evenere,” She refrained from saying that she was Callum’s fiancée on the off chance that Rayla already knew and she was just adding insult to injury.

“His fiancée, right?” Elizabeth nodded and smiled genuinely. “How long ago?”

“We’ve been engaged for about a month,” She answered honestly but didn’t miss the pang behind Rayla’s eyes at her words.

Callum began to stir, Elizabeth thought that he’d wake up soon, and it would be better to let the two talk first and then either help to pick up the remnants or return to Evenere. She prayed to her ancestors that it was not the latter.

“I really must thank you,” Elizabeth said after leaning Callum’s head gently against his pillow.

“Whatever for?” Rayla replied, quizzically.

“You saved the continent and are a rather large part of the reason that we have the possibility of a real if pensive, peace in the lands. I wish there were more people that are as brave as you, Callum and Ezran.” She finished with a smile. “Callum has always been an emotional person and, wherever his heart decides to lead him, I will accept his decision, just let him know that I’ll be in the library.” Elizabeth walked gracefully past a stunned Rayla, turning one last time.

“In many ways, you helped Callum, and I won’t be the first or last to thank you for that… but I won’t forgive you for what you did to him.” Not waiting for a reply, she strode out.

===

Callum awoke at the shutting of a door and immediately sat upright, clearly doing so much too quickly as his body groaned out. He sat still for a second, trying to gather his swirling head, the memories slowly coming back to him.

Claudia was unhinged and more powerful than he had ever seen her before, and much more bloodthirsty and using primal magic. He recalled using the fabled storm spell, the theory created by a sky-wing philosopher, believed to be able to supercharge a sky mage beyond the power of the Sky Nexus, the power required to attempt such a spell was beyond someone even as skilled as Ibis. So had Callum?

He’d been toying with the idea of being able to channel that type of power as well as combine complimentary arcana to create super spells, for lack of a better word. He’d been told by Ibis that only a great Elven Archmage had ever pulled off the feat, combining every single arcana in existence to defeat Avizandum’s predecessor. He’d done it with relative ease, his energy being sapped from the storm spell and storm charge.

“Elizabeth?” When no answer came, he lifted his head, only to see Rayla standing gingerly at the foot of his bead. 

His first reaction caused him to recoil away and ready an Aspiro spell, “Get out of my head! You’re not real,” Recalling the horror of his nightmare the evening before had Callum on edge until he saw the confusion and fear in her eyes and the softness in her voice.

“Cal, it’s me… I’m real, why are ya scared of me?” the last words she said were barely a whisper.

He was about to reply until the voice in his head spoke to him… ‘she left, ‘she doesn’t care,’. He hardened his eyes as he stood up. “It doesn’t matter,” He surprised himself with the ice in his voice.

“Callum talk to me,”

“And why should I?” Callum nearly shouted, just about keeping a calm voice. “So you can take a piss on my feelings again? Leave, again?”

“Elizabeth seems nice,” was she seriously trying to break the ice with small talk?

“What’s your point.” He replied tartly.

“Callum please let me explain,” Rayla pleaded, her tears brimming as Callum tried not to notice, knowing he’d fold.

“There’s nothing to explain, you told me everything I needed in the considerate letter that you left. ‘You had to go, couldn’t live with yourself if I got hurt’. You didn’t reply to any of my letters, and I know you got them. There’s nothing for you to explain.” He concluded.

Rayla was silent for a while before audibly steadying her breath. “I deserve that, I really do… but I couldn’t stand to see you let yourself get hurt, it was never a question of your strength, it was a question of your heart. And your heart was too pure to go with me, you would’ve done something stupid to save me because your brave and never care about your own health,” tears were now flowing.

“Do you not think I loved you, of course, I would’ve followed you and risked my life for you because… I can’t imagine a life without you in it, did you contemplate for one second how devastated I’d be if I had to find out you died, and I was nowhere to help.” Callum voice never let up its icy exterior even when she began tearing up.

“You broke me when you left me, with your lies, with your deceit. I mean, how am I even meant to trust anything that you’re saying to me.” He asked incredulously.

“I’m sorry Cal.” Was all Rayla could muster and Callum had to stop himself from laughing.

“I’m sure you are… but I also have to thank you,” At her confused look, he continued. “I was weak before, I relied on everyone too much, I was a burden… but now I’m strong, I don’t need anyone and I’m strongest by myself, I don’t need anyone to coddle me,” Rayla was surprised about how dark it all sounded.

“What happened?” Rayla asked, thinking back to her conversation with Ezran earlier.

“Like you care,” Callum deflected and Rayla took a step towards him, only stopping in surprise when he took ma step away.

“Callum,” She pleaded.

“You really want to know?” He asked rhetorically, “I’ve killed tens, maybe even more, of assassins that have come to take my brother’s life, that has come to cripple the kingdom that my parents laid down their lives to establish. Is that what you wanted to know?” Rayla stood in shocked silence.

“I did it because I had to, it’s not your fault,” Callum could sense where her thoughts were heading.

“I should’ve been there,” Callum sighed heavily at her words.

“But you weren’t, so what’s the point of thinking about hypotheticals?”

Rayla saw nothing but dead ends up this particular conversation, so she tried to segue into another that she needed to have.

“Do you love her?” Rayla asked slowly.

“Ask what you mean,” Callum stared into her eyes for the first time as her resolve hardened.

“Do you still love me?” Callum began walking towards her, and stood a hairs width from Rayla’s face, emerald eyes mixing with lilac ones.

“I don’t think I can ever stop loving you,” Callum kissed Rayla deeply but quickly, “But you left me, and left me to pick up the pieces of my heart. And Elizabeth is doing the clean-up.”

“I-I just wanted to protect you… please, Callum, I didn’t want to lose you,” Rayla’s tears were flowing.

Callum’s face remained hard, hiding the tears that were threatening to fall. He walked away, letting his tears fall out of her view. He stopped at the door and levelled his voice, opting not to face her.

“You lost me anyway,”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Wow, I've been gone for a minute.
> 
> I won't lie my update schedule is looking closer to every three weeks now, I've just gone through a messy break up so it looks like i'm picking up the pieces (Oh the irony)
> 
> This one felt good and there's SO much more to build on and so many more surprises. I'm having a lot of fun with this fic, but as always, let me know how it feels and any way to improve.
> 
> Please leave Kudos and comments, I greatly appreciate anyone who does and thank you for reading my stuff!
> 
> Next Up: Ibis oversees Callum's recovery, Aaravos helps Claudia, many heart to hearts's

**Author's Note:**

> Needed to have a TTM fic with my own twist, hope you enjoy!
> 
> Let me know how this one felt!


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